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BOSTON 
JAMES    R.   OSGOOD    AND    COMPANY 

1884 


OVER  THE   BORDER 


ACADIA 


THE    HOME    OF    "EVANGELINE" 


BY 


^ 


JKHitf)  Illustvations  in  Jl?tliotHpe  from  Matrr-ffiolot  Skctdjts 
JiV    THE    AUTHOR 


"  Here  lies  the  East :   does  not  the  day  break  here  ? " 

Julius  Ci«sAR|  TI.  i. 


)TE£.\rj3iS 


Wl 


BOSTON 
JAMES    R.  OSGOOD    AND    COMPANY 

1884 


Copyrif^ht,  JSS4, 
By  James  U.  Osgood  and  Comi-any. 

All  rights  reserved. 


«ntbtt(it8  frtm: 

John  Wilson  and  Son,  Cambridge. 


CONTENTS. 


The  Bay  of  Fundy 19 

The  Basin  oi"  Minas 29 

Port  Royal 45 

Annapolis 61 

DinBY 113 

Halifax 123 

Grand  Pitfe 135 

Clare 153 

L'IsLB  DEs  MoNTs  Deserts 183 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Ca?k  BLOMrDON,  Basin  of  Minar. 

Old   FiUKNDs'   AlMSIIOUSK,    rilll-ADRMMIIA. 

Cai'k   SirAKi',    Capk    Split,   and   Paktuidoe   Island,   Bay    op 

FUNDY. 

The    Old    Block  IIoi:8k,   Ancient  Ahchway   in   tub   Fokt, 
Annapolis. 

Gbeat  St.  Geouoe's  Stiieet,  Annapolis. 

Tub  DifiBY  Gap. 

Grand  Pii^. 

Map  op  the  Acadian  Heoion. 


CHRONOLOGY. 


-*- 


DAM.  PAQI 

1604.    De  Monts's  first  landing  on  Eastern  coast  (May  16)  40 

1604.     De  Monts  and   suite  arrive   at    Port   Royal   (about 

June  1) 41 

1606.     De  Monts  returns  from  France  with  supplies  for  his 

colony 47 

1606.    Port  Roya'  abandoned 48 

1610.     Return  of  De  Poutrincourt 48 

1612.  Jesuit  priests  sent  out  from  France.     (Founding  of 

St.  Sauveur  colony  at  Mt.  Desert) 49 

1613.  Destraction  of  Port  Royal  by  Argall  (after  breaking 

up  settlement  at  Mt.  Desert) 50 

1628.     Scotch  colony  broken  up  at  Port  Royal       ....  53 

1634.    Port  Royal  held  by  French  under  De  Razilly       .     .  53 

1647.    Feud  between  La  Tour  and  D'Aulnay 53 

1654.     Port  Royal  under  Le  Borgne  yields  to  English    .     .  55 

1684.     Incursions  of  pirates .  55 

1690.  Sir  Wm.  Pliipps  captures  and  pillages  Port  Royal     .  55 

1691.  Port  Royal  held  by  French  under  De  Villebon      .     .  55 
1707.     Unsuccessfully  besieged       .     , 55 


X  CHRONOLOGY. 

DAT..  ,^ 

1710.    Bombarded  by  seven  English  ships ;  the  fort  yields ; 

name  changed  to  Annapolis  Koyal 56 

1713.     Treaty  of  Utrecht,  ceding  Acadia  to  the  English   .     .  140 

1727,  )  Oath  of  allegiance  exempting  French  Acadians  from 

1728  J 

■  ■'      taking  arms  against  France 140 

1744.  Port  Iloyal  bombarded  and  besieged  three  nionfbs     .     56 

1745.  De  Ramezay's  unsuccessful  attack 57 

1755.  Forts  Beau-Sejour  and  Gaspereau  taken  by  Moneton  143 

1755.     Dispersion  of  the  "  Neutrals " 143-148 

1763.  Return  of  exiles,  and  founding  of  coast  settlements. 

Treaty  between  France  and  England 154 

1781.  Annapolis  Royal  surprised  and  taken  by  two  war  ships  57 
1850.    Last  occupation  (by  military  force)  of  old   fort  at 

Annapolis 57 


INTRODUCTION. 


In  the  rooms  of  the  Historical  Society,  in  Boston, 
hangs  a  portrait  of  a  distinguished-lookinj^  ])orson  in 
quaint  but  handsome  costume  of  antique  stylo.  The 
gold-embroidered  coat,  long  vest  with  large  and  nu- 
merous buttons,  elegant  cocked  hat  under  the  arm, 
voluminous  white  scarf  and  powdered  peruke,  com- 
bine to  form  picturesque  attire  which  is  most  becom- 
ing to  the  gentleman  therein  depicted,  and  attract 
attention  to  the  genial  countenance,  causing  the  visitor 
to  wonder  who  this  can  be,  so  elaborately  presented 
to  the  gaze. 

A  physiognomist  would  not' decide  upon  such  repre- 
sentation as  a  "  counterfeit  presentment "  of  the  ty- 
rannical leader  of  the  expedition  which  enforced  the 
cruel  edict  of  exile,  — 

''In  the  Acadian  land,  on  the  shores  of  the  Basin  of  Minas ; 
where 
Distant,  secluded,  still,  the  little  village  of  Grand  Prd 
Lay  in  the  fruitful  valley." 


12  OVER   THE  BORDER. 

Yet  this  is  Lieutonant-Coloiicl  John  Wiiislow,  great- 
grandson  of  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Plymouth 
Settlement.  Could  he  forget  that  his  ancestors  fled 
from  persecution,  and  came  to  this  country  to  find 
peaceful  homes  ? 

It  was  not  his  place  to  make  reply,  or  reason  why 
when  receiving  orders,  however ;  and  it  seems  that 
the  task  imposed  was  a  distasteful  one ;  as,  at  the 
time  of  the  banishment,  he  earnestly  exj)ressed  the 
desire  "  to  be  rid  of  the  worst  piece  of  service  "  he 
"  ever  was  in." 

He  said  also  of  the  unhappy  people  at  that  time, 
"  It  hurts  me  to  hear  their  weeping  and  wailing." 
So  we  conclude  that  the  pleasant  face  did  not  belie 
the  heart  which  it  mirrored. 

It  is  a  singular  coincidence  that,  for  being  hostile 
to  their  country  at  the  time  of  the  Revolution,  his 
own  family  were  driven  into  exile  twenty  years  after 
the  deportation  of  the  unhappy  French  people. 

Have  not  even  the  most  prosaic  among  us  some 
love  of  poesy,  though  unacknowledged  ?  And  who,  in 
romantic  youth  or  sober  age,  has  not  been  touched  by 
the  tragic  story  of  the  dispersion  of  the  people  who 

"  dwelt  together  in  love,  those  simple  Acadian  farmers, — 
Dwelt  in  the  love  of  God  and  of  man.    Alike  were  they  free  from 
Fear,  that  reigns  with  the  tyrant,  and  envy,  the  vice  of  repub- 
lics. 


INTltODUCTION.  18 

Neither  locks  had  they  to  their  doors,  nor  bars  to  their  win- 
dows ; 

But  their  ilwellings  were  open  as  day  and  the  hearts  of  their 
owners; 

There  tlie  ricliest  was  poor,  and  the  poorest  lived  iu  abun- 
dance." 

Of  the  name  Acadia,  Principal  Dawson  says  in 
"  Canadian  Antiquities,"  that  "  it  sij>;nifie8  ]>rimarily 
a  j)lacc  or  region,  and,  in  combination  with  other 
words,  a  phice  of  plenty  or  abundance  ;  ..."  a  name 
"  most  applicable  to  a  region  which  is  richer  in  the 
'  chief  things  of  the  ancient  mountains,  the  precious 
things  of  the  lasting  hills,  and  the  precious  things  of 
the  earth  and  of  the  deep  that  coucheth  beneath,'  than 
any  other  portion  of  America  of  similar  dimensions." 

We  naturally  infer  that  the  name  is  French ;  but 
our  researches  prove  that  it  was  originally  the  Indian 
Aquoddie,  a  pollock,  —  not  a  poetic  or  romantic  sig- 
nificance. This  was  corrupted  by  the  French  into 
Accadle,  IjAcadie,  Cadie. 

So  little  originality  in  nomenclature  is  shown  in 
America,  that  we  could  desire  that  Indian  names 
should  be  retained ;  that  is,  when  not  too  long,  or 
harsh  in  sound ;  yet  in  this  case  we  are  inclined  to 
rejoice  at  the  change  from  the  aboriginal  to  the  more 
musical  modern  title. 

Though  a  vast  extent  of  territory  was  once  em- 


14  OVEIi    THE  BORDER. 

braced  untlor  tliat  nainc,  it  Ih  how  moroly  a  rather 
faiicil'ul  title  for  a  siiuill  part  of  the  Pio\ inec  of  Nova 
Scotia. 

Acadia!  The  Bay  of  Fiindy  !  There's  majjic;  even 
in  tlie  names;  the  very  sound  of  tlieni  calliii«:;  iip 
visions  of  romance,  and  caiisin<2;  anticii)ations  of 
amazinjji;  displays  of  Nature's  wonders.  Fundy  I  the 
marvel  of  our  childhood,  filling  the  mind's  eye  in 
those  eai'ly  school  days  with  that  astounding  picture, 
—  a  glittering  wall  of  green  crystal,  anywhere  from 
ten  to  one  hundred  feet  in  height,  advancing  on  the 
hind  like  the  march  of  a  mighty  phalanx,  as  if  to 
overwhelm  and  carry  all  before  it !  Had  it  not  been 
our  dream  for  years  to  go  there,  and  j»rove  to  our 
everlasting  satisfaction  whether  childish  credulity  had 
been  imposed  uj)on  ? 

Our  proposed  tourists,  eight  in  number,  being  a 
com])any  with  a  leaning  towards  music,  bound  to  be 
harmonious,  desiring  to  study  the  Diet-tonic  as  illus- 
trated by  the  effects  of  coiuitry  fare  and  air,  con- 
solidate under  the  title  of  the  Octave.  The  chaper- 
one,  who  we  all  know  is  a  dear,  is  naturally  called 
"  Do  "(e)  ;  one,  being  under  age,  is  dubbed  the  Minor 
Third  ;  while  the  exclamatory,  irrepressible,  and  inex- 
luuistible  members  from  the  Hub  are  known  as  "  La  " 
and  '•  Si." 


JNTJtODL'CTION.  16 

llavin<5  decided  iipun  our  objective  point,  the  next 
thing  is  to  find  out  liow  to  reacli  it;  and  here,  at  tho 
out8(!t,  wo  arc  sur})ri.sed  at  the  coni})arative  ignorance 
shown  regarding  a  region  which,  though  scennngly 
distant,  is  in  reality  so  accessible.  We  are  soon  in- 
clined to  quote  from  an  old  song, — 

"  Thou  art  so  near  and  yet  so  far," 

as  our  blundering  investigations  seem  more  likely  to 
prove  how  not  to  get  anywhere  ! 

But  we  set  to  woik  to  accumulate  railroad  litera- 
ture in  the  shape  of  maps,  schedules,  excursion  books  ; 
and  these  friendly  little  pami)hlets  prove  delightful 
pathfinders,  convincing  us  how  readily  all  tastes  can 
be  suited ;  as  some  wish  to  go  by  water,  some  by 
land,  and  some  by  "  a  little  of  both."  Thus,  those 
who  arc  on  good  terms  with  old  Neptune  may  take 
a  pleasant  voyage  of  twenty-six  hours  direct  from 
Boston  to  the  distant  village  of  Annapolis,  Nova 
Scotia,  which  is  our  prospective  abiding  place ;  while 
those  who  prefer  can  have  "  all  rail  route,"  or,  if  more 
variety  is  desired,  may  go  by  land  to  St.  John,  New 
Brunswick,  and  thence  by  steamboat  across  the  Bay 
of  Fundy.  At  last  the  company  departs  on  its  several 
ways,  and  in  sections,  that  the  dwellers  in  that  re- 
mote old  town  of  historic  interest  may  not  be  struck 
breathless  by  such  an  invasion  of  foreigners. 


16  ovicn  Tiirc  iwuder. 

Tlio  prime  mover  of  tlie  expedition,  havinpj  already 
travelled  a.s  far  cast  as  Baiij^or,  coinincuci'S  the  jour- 
ney at  ni,u:lit  from  that  city.  Strange  to  ndy,  no  jar 
or  unuHual  sensation  is  experienced  when  the  iron 
horse  |»asscs  the  boundary ;  nor  is  anything  novel 
seen  when  the  train  known  as  the  "  Flying  Yankee  " 
lialts  for  a  brief  breathing  spell  at  MacAiUim  Station. 
A  drowsy  voice  volunteers  the  infornii'tion :  "  It  is  a 
forsaken  region  here."  Another  of  our  travellers  re- 
plies, "  Appearances  certainly  indicate  that  the  Colos- 
sus of  Roads  is  absent,  and  it  is  to  be  hoi)ed  that  ho 
is  mending  his  ways  elsewhere."  Then  the  speakers, 
tipping  their  reclining  chairs  to  a  more  recumbent 
posture,  drift  off  to  the  Land  of  Nod. 

With  morning  comes  examination  of  travellers' 
possessions  at  the  custom-house,  with  amusing  exhi- 
bitions of  peculiarly  ])acked  boxes  and  bags,  recalling 
funny  episodes  of  foreign  tours,  while  giving  to  this 
one  a  novel  character ;  then  the  train  speeds  on  for 
seven  hours  more. 


THE   BAY   OF  FUNDY. 


2 


OYER   THE    IJOROKU. 


TIIK   HAY  OF   FUNDY. 

Ekk  loii'j;'  sinjjfular  evidence  of  in'oxiinity  to 
the  wonderful  tides  of  the  liay  of  Fundy  is 
seen,  ns  all  the  streams  show  sloping'  hanks, 
stupendously  nuiddy ;  niud  reddish  hrown  in 
color,  smooth  and  oily  looking",  j»ashcd  with 
seams,  and  with  a  lazily  nioviniif  rivulet  in  the 
bed  of  the  stn^un  from  whence  the  retreating 
tide  has  sucked  away  the  volume  of  water. 

"  What  a  Paradise  for  bare-footed  boys,  and 
children  with  a  predilection  for  nnid  })ies ! " 
exclaims  one  of  the  tourists;  while  the  other  — 
the  practical,  prosaic  —  remarks,  "It  looks  like 
the  chocolate  frostin<>;'  of  your  cakes ! "  for 
which  speech  a  shrivelling*  look  is  received. 

This  great  arm  of  the  sea,  reaching  up  so  far 
into  the  land,  and  which  tried  to  convert  Nova 


20  0]'i:U    THE   nOllDKR. 

Scotiji  into  an  islaiul  (as  man  proposes  to  make* 
it,  by  channelling  tlio  isthmns),  was  known  to 
early  explorers  as  J^a  liaie  Fran(;oiso,  its  proF- 
ent  co<»nonien  beinj**  a  corruption  of  the  French, 
Fond-de-la  JJaic. 

JJeino-  Ion*,*",  narrow,  and  rnnning  into  tlie 
land  like  a  tnnncl,  the  tide  rises  hi<4]i('r  and 
hij^her  as  it  ascends  into  tlie  upper  and  nar- 
rowest ])arts ;  thns  in  the  eastern  arm,  the 
Basin  of  Minjis,  the  tichd  swell  rises  forty  feet, 
sometimes  fifty  or  more  in  sj)rino-. 

In  Chif^necto  Bay,  which  extends  in  a  more 
northerly  direction  from  the  gr(;ater  ba}',  the 
rise  has  been  known  to  reach  seventy  feet  in 
spring",  thongh  it  is  nsnally  between  iifty  and 
sixty  at  other  times.  Here,  in  the  estnary  of 
the  Petitcodiac,  where  the  rivc^r  meets  the  wave 
of  the  tide,  the  volnmes  contending  canso  the 
Great  Bore,  as  it  is  called;  and  as  in  this 
remon  the  swine  wade  out  into  the  nnid  in 
search  of  shell  iish,  they  are  sometimes  swept 
away  and  drowned.  The  Amazon  River  also 
has  its  Bore ;  the  Indians,  trying  to  imitate  the 
sound  of  the  roaring  water,  call  it  **pororoca." 


THE  DAY  OF  FUND  v.  21 

III  tlio  iroo<4ly  it  is  shown ;  and  in  a  river  of 
Clnnu,  tlio  Teintann-,  it  ficlvjinciis  np  tlio  strojun 
at  tlio  rate  of  twonty-fivo  miles  an  lionr,  eans- 
in^  a  rise  of  thirty  feet.  In  some  northei-n 
eonntries  the  Hore  is  called  the  Kag-re.  Octav- 
ius  sa}  a  this  mnst  bo  because  it  screws  its  way 
so  nn/ir///  into  the  land,  Init  is  innnediately 
snj>])ressed,  and  informed  tluit  the  name  is  a 
corruption  of  Oe<^ir,  the  Scandinavian  god  of 
the  sea,  of  whom  wo  learn  as  follows:  — 

Odin,  the  father  of  the  gods,  creator  of  the 
world,  possessing  greatest  power  and  wisdouj, 
holds  the  position  in  Scandinavian  mythology 
that  Zeus  does  in  the  Greek.  Like  the  Olym- 
pian Jupiter,  he  hehl  the  thunder-bolts  in  his 
hand;  but  differed  from  the  more  inert  divinity 
of  Greece  in  that,  arrayed  in  robes  of  cloud, 
he  rode  through  the  universe  on  his  marvel- 
lous steed,  wdiich  had  eight  feet.  This  idea  was 
characteristic  of  a  hardy  race  living  a  wild  out- 
door life  in  a  rigorous  climate.  Oegir,  the  god 
of  the  sea,  was  a  jotun,  but  friendly  to  Odin. 
The  jotuns  were  giants,  and  generally  exerted 
their  powers  to  the  injury  of  man,  but,  not  be- 


22  OVER    THE  BORDER. 

ing  g-ifted  with  full  intelligence,  could  be  con- 
quered by  men.  The  first  jotun,  named  Ymer, 
Odin  subdued,  and  of  his  flesh  formed  the  earth, 
of  his  bones  the  mountains ;  the  ocean  was  his 
blood,  his  brains  the  clouds,  while  from  his 
skull  the  arch  of  the  heavens  was  made. 

We  resolved  to  witness  the  singular  spectacle 
of  the  Oegir  of  Fundy ;  but,  not  receiving 
ansAver  to  our  application  for  accommodations 
at  Moncton,  proceeded  on  our  way,  consoling 
ourselves  with  the  thought  that  we  could  see  a 
bore  any  day,  without  taking  any  special  pains 
or  going  much  out  of  our  way. 

The  Basin  of  Minas !  What  a  "flood  of 
thoughts"  rise  at  the  naijie.  Fancy  paints 
dreamy  and  fascinating  pictures  of  tlie  fruitful 
and  verdant  meadow  land,  the  hills,  the  woods, 
the  simple-hearted,  cliildlike  peasants ;  upright, 
faithful,  devout,  leading  blameless  lives  of 
placid  serenity: 

"  At  peact  with  God  and  the  world." 

It  seemed  that  there  must  be  some  means 
of  crossing  the  beauteous  Basin  whence  the 
broken-hearted  exiles  sailed  away  so  sadly ;  and 


THE  BAY  OF  FVNDY.  23 

tliat  any  tourist  with  a  particle  of  romance 
or  sentiment  in  his  composition  would  gladly 
make  even  a  wide  detour  to  visit  it.  Therefore 
we  were  surprised  to  learn  that  railroad  schied- 
ules  said  nothing  of  this  route,  and  that  it  seemed 
almost  unknown  to  summer  pleasure  seekers. 
Not  to  be  deterred,  however,  what  better  can 
one  do  than  write  direct  for  information  to 
Parrsboro,  —  a  pretty  village,  which  is  the 
nearest  point  to  the  Basin.  Thus  we  learn  that 
a  short  railway,  connecting  with  the  Intercolo- 
nial, will  convey  us  thither,  though  not  a  road 
intended  for  passenger  service. 

*'  It  will  only  add  to  the  novelty  and  interest 
of  our  tour,"  we  say.  We  rather  hojje  it  will 
prove  a  very  peculiar  road,  and  are  prepared  for 
discomfort  which  we  do  not  find ;  although,  at 
Spring  Hill,  the  point  of  divergence  from  the 
main  line,  such  a  queer  train  is  waiting,  that 
one  exclaims,  "  Surely  we  have  come  into  the 
backwoods  at  last ! " 

The  car  is  divided  in  the  middle,  the  forward 
part  devoted  to  baggage,  while  in  the  rear  por- 
tion, on  extremely  low-backed  and  cushionless 


24  OVER   THE  BORDER. 

seats,  beside  tiny,  sliudeless  windows,  sit  the 
passeng-ers.  And  such  j)assengers  !  We  men- 
tally ejaculate  somethinj^  about  *'  Cruikshank's 
caricatures  come  to  life."  With  much  prelimi- 
nary clanking"  of  chains,  a  most  dolorous 
groaning"  and  creaking"  of  the  strange  vehicle, 
a  shudder  and  jar,  the  train  is  in  motion, 
and  slowly  proceeding  through  densely  wood- 
ed and  wild  country,  —  a  coal  and  lumber  dis- 
trict, where  only  an  occasional  log  house  re- 
lieves the  monotony  of  the  scene,  —  log  huts 
which  look  as  if  they  have  strayed  away  from 
the  far  South  and  dropped  down  in  this  wil- 
derness. At  intervals,  with  a  convulsive  jerk 
which  brings  to  their  feet  some  new  travellers 
on  this  peculiar  line,  the  train  halts  to  take  on 
lumber ;  and  one  of  our  tourists  remarks,  "  This 
old  thing  starts  like  an  earthquake,  and  stops 
as  if  colliding  with  a  stone  wall ;"  and  con- 
tinues :  "  Do  you  think  the  poet  who  longed 
for  *a  lodge  in  some  vast  wilderness,'  would 
have  been  satisfied  with  this  ?  "  Without  wait- 
ing for  a  reply,  the  next  remark  is :  '*  We  are 
looking  for  summer  accommodations ;  don't  you 


THE  DAY  OF  FUNDY.  25 

think  we  could  find  board  cliecaj)  liere?"  Tlie 
l)ros{iic  one,  ij^noring  such  an  attempt  at  pleas- 
antry, re})lies,  "  Five  dollars  per  thousand  feet, 
I  have  been  told." 

When  the  conductor,  in  a  huge  straw  hat 
and  rough  suit,  sans  collar  or  cravat,  conies  to 
collect  tickets,  the  satirical  one  asks,  "Will  he 
punch  them  with  his  penknife,  or  clip  them  with 
a  pair  of  old  scissors  I " 

We  have 

"  Heard  of  the  wonderful  one-lioss  shay, 
That  was  built  in  such  a  logical  way 
It  ran  a  hundred  years  to  a  day," 

and  conclude  that  the  S.  11.  &  1*.  R.  R.  resem- 
bles it  somewhat ;  and  that,  although  there  is  a 
"general  flavor  of  mild  decay"  about  it  in 
some  respects,  it  will  not  be  in  danger  of  wear- 
ing out  from  high  rate  of  speed ;  but  who  cares 
about  time  when  on  a  holiday  i 

At  last,  in  the  distance,  a  range  of  blue  hills 
becomes  visible,  with  a  faint,  far  gleam  of  w^a- 
ter ;  and,  asi  the  blue  line  abruptly  descends  to 
the  glistening  streak  below,  we  know  in  an 


26  OVER    THE  BORDER. 

instant  wliat   that  promontory  must   be,   ana 
ecstatically  quote  with  one  voice,  — 

"  Away  to  the  northward  Bloniidon  rose," 

regardless  of  geography,  as  that  Cape  happens, 
in  this  case,  to  be  south  of  us. 

Having  received  information  by  mail  that 
• "  bosses  and  caragcs"  are  to  be  found  at  Parrs- 
boro,  and  that  the  sailing  of  the  steamer  is 
"rooled  by  the  tide,"  eager  looks  are  cast  about 
on  aligliting  at  that  charming  village,  the  na- 
tives of  which,  to  our  surprise,  are  not  back- 
woodsmen or  rough  countrymen.  Mine  host, 
genial  and  gentlemanly,  becomes  visible ;  and 
we  are  soon  bowling  merrily  along  through  the 
neat  village,  the  picturesque  country  beyond, 
and  are  set  down  at  a  refreshingly  old-timey 
inn  directly  on  the  shore  of  the  Basin  of  Minas, 
which  bursts  suddenly  upon  the  view,  amazing 
one  by  its  extent  and  beauty.  We  exclaim  in 
surprise,  "Why,  it  looked  no  larger  than  one's 
thumb  nail  on  the  map  1 " 


THE  BASIN  OF  MINAS. 


4' 


THE  BASIN  OF  MINAS. 

• 

A  CURVING  beach  with  rolling  surf,  a  loii'j;' 
and  very  high  pier,  showing  the  great  rise  of 
the  tide,  — at  this  pomt  sixty  feet  in  the  s})ring, 
—  and  directly  before  one  the  peculiarly  striking 
promontory  of  Bloniidon,  with  the  red  sand- 
stone showing  through  the  dark  pines  clothing 
his  sides,  and  at  his  feet  a  powerful  "rip"  toss- 
ing the  water  into  chopped  seas ;  a  current  so 
strong  that  a  six-knot  breeze  is  necessary  to 
carry  a  vessel  through  the  passage  which  here 
opens  into  the  Bay  of  Fundy. 

This  is  the  place  where  schedules  said  nothing 
of  a  boat  to  convey  the  tourist  across  the  inland 
sea  —  of  thirty  miles'  width  —  to  the  railroad  on 
its  south  shore,  —  the  line  which  bears  on  its 
rolling  stock  the  ominous  initials  W.  A.  R,  but 
passes  through  the  most  peaceful  country  nev- 
ertheless.    Yet   our    genial    host's    assurances 


30  OVlUi    THE  BOllDEIt. 

that  8IU1I1  }i  vosHL'l  will  conio  arc  not  to  bo 
doubted ;  and,  after  a  dainty  repant,  a  j^Toup 
sita  on  tlio  i)ier,  watcliinj^  <;liostly  .ships  and 
.smaller  ciaft  enier^o  from  and  vanish  into  the 
mist.  As  the  mists  dispense  and  the  moon  comes 
out  clearly,  it  reveals  the  "  Hiawatha  "  approa(;h- 
in^*",  —  a  graceful  propeller  of  five  hundred  tons 
burden,  and  one  hundred  and  some  odd  feet 
in  length. 

Partridge  Island,  which  is  close  at  hand, 
commands  exceptionally  fine  views,  as  Blomidon 
does  also;  the  famous  Capes  d'Or  and  Cliig- 
necto,  seven  hundred  and  thirty  to  eight  hun- 
dred feet  high,  with  Advocate  Harbor,  are 
within  pleasant  driving  distance.  There  are 
twenty  varieties  of  minerals  on  Blomidon ;  as 
many  more,  with  jaw-testing  names,  on  Par- 
tridge Island  **  and  thereabout ;  "  so  in  this 
locality  a  geologist  would  become  quite  ecstatic. 
Some  of  the  finest  marine  scenery  of  the  Prov- 
inces, as  well  as  lovely  inland  views  and  the 
noted  and  singular  Five  Islands,  can  be  seen 
within  a  radius  of  twenty  miles. 

"  No  country  is  of  much  interest  until  legends 


THE  HA  SIN  OF  MINAS.  81 

nnd  poetry  lniv(3  dnipcd  it  in  luios  that  nioro 
iiutiiro  cuniiot  prouace,"  says  a  pleasant  modem 
writer. 

Geolo«»-ists  l)elievo  that  the  ran<;e  of  liills 
known  as  the  North  iVIonntaln  was  once  a  lonjj;' 
narrow  island,  and  that  a  shoal  gradnally 
formed  near  lilomidon,  in  time  filling''  in  nntil 
that  headland  hecrame  ])art  of  the  mainland. 

This  strikin;^'  cape,  five  hnndred  and  seventy 
feet  hi;4h,  one  would  naturally  expect  to  find 
associated  with  strange  wild  myths  of  the 
aborigines ;  and 

*'  Y«  who  lovo  a  iiatu)n's  loj^'cnds, 
That  liko  voici^s  from  afar  olf 
Call  to  us  to  pause  and  listoii," 

attend  then  ! 

It  seems  that  this  was  the  favorite  resort  of 
Glooscap,  the  Indian  giani,  who,  like  "  Kwa- 
sind  the  Strong  Man,"  in  "  Hiawatha,"  entered 
into  a  fierce  combat  here  with  the  Great  Beaver 
(Ahmeek,  King  of  the  Beavers,  is  spoken  of  in 
that  same  poem),  and  contended  with  the  gigan- 
tic creature  in  similar  manner,  throwing  huge 
masses  of  rock,   which,    falling  in  the   water, 


82  ovi'Jii  Till-:  iioiiDicn. 

heranio,  in  tliis  cjiho,  tlio  Five  Isljindrt.  Tho 
Iiidijui  l('«;('ii(l  HJiys  tluit  at  tliin  })()int  a  stii- 
p(Mi(l«)iis  (lain  was  built  by  tlui  (ircat  Hoavor; 
and  bocaiist;  this  was  tloodin;^'  tlm  Connvallis 
valley,  (}l()os(!ap,  wlioso  siijufniatiiral  power 
was  uuliinitod,  broke  and  bent  it  into  its  pres- 
ent 8bai)e,  forming*  Capo  Bloniidon,  afterwards 
strewing  tjje  promontory  with  gems,  some  of 
wliich  ho  carried  away  to  adorn  "his  myste- 
rious female  eompanion."  Hero  also  lie  held  a 
wonderful  feast  with  another  giant ;  and,  ordi- 
nary iish  not  sutticing  to  satisfy  their  enormous 
a})petites,  the  two  endjarked  in  a  stone  e^moe, 
sailed  out  into  the  Great  Lake  of  liniras, 
as  they  called  the  l^asin,  and  there  speared  a 
whale,  which  they  broi.ght  to  tho  shoro  and 
devoured  at  short  notice,  'i'he  ai)i)roach  of  tho 
white  man  causing  the  Indian  giant  to  d(3sert 
his  old  haunts,  ho  sailed  out  on  tho  great 
water  and  vanished  from  sight ;  but  some  day, 
when  men  and  animals  live  together  in  peace 
and  friendship,  ho  will  return  and  resume  his 
royal  sway  on  the  Basin  of  Minas.  IJefore  his 
departure  he  gave  a  farewell  feast  to  all  the 


32  OVEH    rUE  BORDER. 

)«ccrtiiu:,  ill  tilis  «'}ibt},  iho  Five  Isiaiwls.  Tlie 
fiMlian  logoiid  says  tliat  at  thiu  point  a  stu- 
puiulons  dam  was  built  l)y  tlti*  Great  Ijcaver; 
and  iKM-auHj  llii>!  was  floodirio- 
vallt^y,  Iflaosca}),  ^vlu>st)  8iip€'rr»Htu'':il  power 
wfm  unlrir.iff  !.  I)n>l:n  and  Lent  yren- 

strevviuj^'    •''      ;..         ■'^■!r^,'  Tyifh  gcUJ-  •  F 

which  he  rarr:c»i.  inva.  :  ■  jmUh'ii  *']ii«  iu%.^u;- 
riouH  fuiuaio  companioi  ilcre  also  he  h«dd  a 
wondciful  l\*a»t  with  another  giant ;  and,  ordi- 
narv  fish  not  s'llRcino'  to  satihCv  thoir  enornnms 
a})pctltus,  the  tw(»  <'rnl.»ark<id  in  a  si  one  canfjc, 
sailo-i  •  ::'  •  ..  '  freat  Lake  •  :  Knirn^, 
as  the  V  omIK-''  iltsrv.     and   ih-n-p  speared;! 

devouieti 

white  man  cau^jin^      -     .iiuiu..  ^^ian  : 

hirf    old  Imunts,    ho   sailed    ont  ;   ,     -rcat 

water  -miished  from  tsi^ht;  but  some  day, 

when  men  and  ani;  ;2'ether  in  peace 

nnd  triondship,  he  will  return  and  resume  his 
royal  sway  on  the  lilasin  oi'  lilinas.  Helbre  his 
drpartuiT   iu.i  .Q'ave  a  faiinvidl   foast  to  ail    the 


;ij,^i: 


1.  '■- 


OLD    I'lUKNDS      AI.MSUOfSK. 


THE  BASIN   OF  MIX  AS.  88 

animals,  who  swarmed  from  all  over  the  coun- 
try, turned  his  dogs  into  stone,  and  left  his 
kettle  overturned  in  the  sliape  of  an  ishind 
n  T  •  Cape  Si)cncer,  across  Mnias  Channel. 
Since  tliat  time  tlie  loons,  wlio  were  his  Inmters, 
wander  sadly  about  the  wildest  lakes  and  rivers, 
searcliing-  for  tlieir  master,  uttering-  their  do- 
lorous cries ;  and  the  owls  keep  up  tlieir  jiart  of 
the  lament,  crying  "  Koo  koo  skoos,"  which, 
being  Indian  language,  they  evidently  learned 
from  the  giant,  and,  being  interpreted,  signifieth 
"  I  am  sorry." 

The  crown  of  France  is  adorned  with  a  fine 
amethyst  from  Blomidon ;  and  those  early 
exjdorers,  De  Monts  and  Co.,  "found  in  the 
neighborhood"  (of  Parrsboro)  "  chrystals  and 
blue  stones  of  a  shining  colour,  similar  in 
appearance  to  those  known  by  the  name  of 
Turkeese."  One  of  the  company,  "  having 
found  a  beautiful  specimen  of  this  kind,  broke  it 
into  two  pieces,  and  gave  one  to  De  Monts,  and 
the  other  to  Poutrincourt,  who,  on  their  return 
to  Paris,  had  them  handsomely  set  by  a  jeweller, 
and  presented  them  to  the  King  and  Queen." 


84  OVER    THE  BORDER. 

At  the  base  of  Cape  d'Or  there  is  a  very 
powerful  current  with  great  maelstroms ;  this 
is  known  as  the  Styx,  and  through  tliese  terri- 
ble whirlpools  two  fishermen  were  carried  this 
season  (188.'5),  one  losing  his  life;  while  the 
other,  an  expert  swimmer  and  athlete,  was 
saved  by  less  than  a  hair's-breadth,  and  after- 
wards described  most  thrillingly  his  sensations 
on  being  drawn  into  and  ejected  from  the 
frightful  vortices. 

Just  at  daybreak,  when  Blomidon  looks  ont 
all  glowing  from  tlie  gauzy  veil  of  mist,  as 
the  lazy  zephyr  wafts  it  aside,  and  the  placid 
water  repeats  the  glorious  tints  of  radiant 
clouds,  we  regretfully  t'ke  our  departure. 
Cape  Sharp  and  Cape  Split,  bold  promontories 
which  stand  like  mighty  sentinels  guarding  the 
entrance  to  the  Bay  of  Fundy,  appear  in  clear- 
est azure  and  violet ;  while  the  mountains  of 
the  north  shore  are  sharply  defined  in  pure 
indigo  against  the  brilliant  sky,  as  the  propel- 
ler steams  away.  The  sail  across,  two  hours 
and  a  half  in  length,  is  a  vision  of  ideal  and 
poetic  beauty,  all   too  brief;  and  as  we  step 


THE  BASIN  OF  MLVAS.  86 

ashore  we  feel  tempted  to  quote,  "Take,    oli 
boatnuiii,  thrice  thy  fee  !  " 

At  tliis  point  (Ilantsport)  we  take  the  W.  and 
A.  II.  R.,  and  in  a  few  hours  are  set  down  at  the 
phice  which  we  have  been  so  hin^,*-  phmning  to 
reach ;  the  phice  of  whicli  our  host,  wlio  is 
probably  not  familiar  Avith  the  nistory  of  St. 
Augustine,  Florida,  wrote  proudly  as  "the  old- 
est town  in  North  America." 

It  certainly  is  one  of  tlie  oldest  settlements  in 
North  America,  having  been  founded  in  1604, 
and,  until  1750,  it  was  tlie  capital  of  the  whole 
peninsula  of  Nova  Scotia :  Annapolis,  —  the 
old  Port  Royal,  the  historical  town  wliich  has 
been  the  scene  of  so  many  struggles  and  bitter 
contentions;  but  k  now  the  \ery  picture  of 
peace  and  utterly  restful  quiet. 

Here  the  Eight  settle  down  for  a  long 
sojourn ;  basking  in  the  delicious  atmosphere, 
devoting  themselves  to  searching  out  the  most 
picturesque  views,  in  a  series  of  rambles, 
drives,  and  excursions,  and  visiting  all  points 
for  miles  around,  to  whicli  history  and  ro- 
mance have  added  charms  almost  as  great  as 


36  OVER    THE  BORDER. 

tliose  of  river  and  mountain  wliicli  tliey  always 
possessed. 

Those  of  our  party  wlio  liail  from  the  city 
of  Brotherly  Love  naturally  feel  a  special 
interest  in  Acadia  and  the  sad  story  of  Long- 
fellow's heroine ;  as  a  patent  for  the  princi- 
pality of  Acadia,  which  included  the  whole 
American  coast  from  Philadelphia  to  Montreal, 
was  given  by  the  "impidsive  and  warm- 
hearted monarch,"  TIenry  IV.  of  France,  to 
Pierre    du    Guast,  the   Sieur   de    Monts,    con- 

« 

stituting  him  governor  of  that  country,  and 
giving  him  the  trade  and  revenues  of  the 
region. 

Consequently  some  of  the  ancestors  of  our 
Philadelphia  friends  were  Acadians,  though 
not  French  peasantry. 

There  also  ■:  — 

"  111  tliat  delightful  land  which  is  washed  by  the  Delaware's 

waters, 
(iiiarding  in  sylvan  shades  the  name  of  Penn  the  apostle, 
Stands  on  the  banks  of  its  beautiful  stream  the  city  he 

founded. 
There  all  the  air  is  balm,  and  the  peach  is  the  emblem  of 

beauty, 


THE  BASIN  OF  MINAS.  87 

And  the  streets  still  re-echo  tho  iianies  of  the  trees  of  the 

forest, 
As  if  tliey  fain  would  appease  tho   Dryads   whoso  haimta 

they  molested. 
There  from  the  troubled  sea  had  Evangc^line  landed,  an  exile, 
Finding  among  the  cliildren  of  Penn  a  home  and  a  country." 

In  tlijit  sedate  and  sober  ciiv  was 

"  the  almshouse,  home  of  the  homeless. 
Then   in  tho  suburbs   it   stood,    in   the  midst  of  meadows 

and   woodlands; 
JTow  tho  city  surrounds  it ;  Ijut  still,  with  its  gateway  and 

Avicket 
Meek  in  the  midst  of  splendor,  its  humble  walls  seem  to 

echo 
Softly  the  words  of  the  Lord,  — '  Tho  poor  ye  have  always 

with  you.'  " 

There  the  sad  exile's  weary  search  was  at 
last  rewarded  ;  the  long--parted  lovers  were  re- 
united, though  but  for  a  moment  on  the  verge 
of  the  grave ;  and  thus  was  ended 

**  the  hope  and  the  fear  and  the  sorrow, 
All  tho  aching  of  heart,  the  restless,  unsatisfied  longing, 
All  the  dull,  deep  pain,  a'nd  constant  anguish  of  patience  !  " 

The  city  almshouse  stood,  we  are  told,  at  the 
corner  of  Twelfth  and  Spruce  Streets ;  but  the 
belief    is   quite   general   (and  we   incline   de- 


88  OVER   THE  BORDER. 

cidedly  to  tliat)  that  bur  beloved  poet  intended 
l)y  Ills  description  to  portrjiy  the  quaint  build- 
injr  formerly  known  as  the  Friends'  Almshouse, 
■which  stood  in  Walnut  Place  (openino-  off  of 
Walnut  Street  below  Fourth),  and  wiiich  was 
torn  down  in  1872  or  1873  to  give  place  to 
railroad  and  lawyers'  offices. 

The  entrance  from  the  street,  by  ''g'ateway 
and  wicket,"  as  the  poem  saj's,  led  through  a 
narrow  passage  way;  and  there  faced  one  a 
small,  low-roofed  house,  built  of  alternate  red 
and  black  bricks  (the  latter  glazed),  almost 
entirely  covered  by  an  aged  ivy  which  clam- 
bc^red  over  the  rcx)f  The  strag^gling  branches 
even  nodded  above  the  wide  chimneys;  at 
both  sides  of  the  door  stood  comfortable  set- 
tles, inviting  to  rest ;  and  the  pretty  garden 
charmed  with  its  bloom  and  fragrance.  The 
whole  formed  such  a  restful' retreat,  such  an 
oasis  of  quiet  in  the  verj^  heart  of  the  busy 
city,  that  one  was  tenq)ted  often  to  make  ex- 
cuses for  straying"  into  the  peaceful  enclosure. 

In  a  book  printed  for  private  circulation  in 
Philadelphia  some  years  ago,  there  is  an  item 


THE  BASIN  OF  M/XAS.  89 

of  inten^st  fiboiit  the  At^ndiaiis.  The  author 
narrates  that  slio  and  a  younff-  companion,  in 
tlieir  strolls  to  the  suburbs,  where  they  went  to 
visit  the  Pennsylvania  Hospital  (lM;j;hth  and 
Pine  Streets,  now  in  the  heart  of  the  city),  were 
timid  IxHNiuse  obliged  to  pass  the  place  where 
the  **  French  Neutrals  "  were  located. 

These  people,  because  they  were  foreigners, 
and  there  was  some  mystery  about  them  which 
the  girls  did  not  then  understand,  ins})ir(}d  them 
with  fear ;  though  Philadeljdna  residents  of  that 
time  testify  that  the  homeless  and  destitute 
strangers  were  in  reality  a  very  simple  and  in- 
offensive company,  when,  "  friendless,  homeless, 
hopeless,  they  wandered  fro^m  city  to  city." 
Throuii^h  the  influence  of  Anthony  Bonezet,  a 
member  of  the  Society  of  Friends,  they  were 
provided  with  homes  on  Pine  Street  above 
Sixth,  where  the  two  little  wooden  houses  still 
stand ;  one,  when  we  last  saw  it,  being  painted 
blue. 

What  a  picturesque  company  of  adventurers 
were  those  French  noblemen,  who,  turning 
tlieir  backs  upon  the  luxuries  and  fascinations 


40  OVER    THE  liollDER. 

of  court  life,  sailed  jiway  to  tliis  wild  and  dis- 
tant land,  where,  in  the  pursuit  of  f,''ain,  fame, 
or  merely  adventure,  tliey  were  to  suffer  ahso- 
luto  2)rivation  and  liardship  ;  consortinj^*  witli 
savag-es  in  jdaee  of  the  jdumed  and  jjanqjered 
denizens  of  i)al}U'es. 

After  a,  probably  temi)estuous  vojtige  across 
the  bleak  Atlantic,  and  a  merciless  buffeting 
from  Fundy  hi  the  si)ring  of  l(j()4,  the  pros])ec- 
tive  Governor  of  the  great  territory  known  as 
Acadia  was  sailing  along  this  coast,  which 
presents  such  a  forbidding  aspect  from  the 
IJay,  nuiking  his  first  haven  May  IG.  At  that 
time,  we  can  readily  imagine,  in  this  northern 
region  the  weather  woidd  not  be  very  balmy. 
Even  now  the  wild  rocky  shore  stretches  along 
drearily  —  though  with  certain  stern  pictur- 
esqueness  —  as  far  as  eye  can  reach,  and  then 
must  have  been  even  less  attractive,  as  it  showed 
no  sitcn  of  habitation. 

Champlain  was  somewhat  familiar  with  these 
shores  from  former  voyages,  and  so  had  been 
chosen  as  pilot ;  but  De  Poutrhicourt  and  Pont- 
grave,  other  associates  of  Pierre  du  Guast,  the 


TIIK   IIASIN  OF  MIX  AS.  41 

Sioiir  (le  flouts,  doubtless  looked  aHkaiieo  at 
each  other,  or  iiuhdj^'cd  in  the  expressive  French 
shrug  as  the  cheerless  panorama  passed  before 
them.  On  that  IGth  of  May,  at  the  harbor 
where  the  little  town  of  Liverjxxd  is  now 
situated,  De  Monts  found  another  Frenchman 
engaj^'ed  in  hunting  and  lishing,  ignoring,  or 
regandess  of,  tlui  rights  of  jiny  one  else ;  and 
without  ado  tliis  interloper  (so  considered  by 
Do  Monts)  was  nal>be(l ;  the  only  cons(>lation 
he  received  bein<»'  the  honor  of  transniittin*'"  his 
name,  Kossignol,  to  the  harbor,  —  a  namC  sinco 
transferred  to  a  lake  in  the  vicinitv. 

After  a  sojoin-n  of  two  weeks  at  another 
point  (St.  Mary's  Bay),  the  explorers  proceeded 
northward ;  and  at  last  a  particularly  inviting 
harbor  presented  itself,  causing  the  mental 
vision  of  the  new  Governor  and  his  company 
to  assume  more  hopeful  aspect,  as  they  turned 
their  course  thither  and  pronounced  it  "  Port 
Royal ! " 


PORT    ROYAL. 


.  PORT  ROYAL. 

Here  they  managed  to  exist  throug-li  the 
winter  witli  as  much  comfort  as  circumstances 
woukl  admit  of;  hut  with  the  return  of  sum- 
mer were  on  the  wing  again,  in  search  of 
more  sahibrious  chmate  and  more  southerly 
locahty  for  the  establishment  of  a  colony,  sail- 
ing alonjir  the  coast  of  Maine  and  Massachu- 
setts  as  far  as  Cape  Cod. 

Attempts  were  made  to  establish  settlements, 
but  the  natives  proved  unfriendly  ;  the  foreign- 
ers had  not  a  sufficient  force  to  subdue  them ; 
and,  as  De  Monts  was  obliged  to  return  to 
France,  De  Poutrincourt  and  his  com})anions 
established  themselves  again  at  Port  Royal. 
Here,  to  while  away  the  long  winter,  the  gay 
adventurers  established  a  burlesque  court,  which 
they  christened  ^'  L'Ordre  de  Bon  Temps ; "  and 
of  the  meiTy  realm  each  of  the  fifteen  principal 


46  OVER    THE  BORDER. 

persons  of  the  colony  became  supreme  ruler  in 
turn.  As  the  Gnuicl  Master's  sway  lasted  but 
a  day,  eacli  one,  as  he  assumed  that  august 
position,  prided  himself  on  doing  his  utmost  to 
eclipse  his  predecessor  in  lavish  ])rovision  for 
feasting.  Forests  were  scoured  for  game ;  fish 
were  brought  from  the  tempest-tossed  waters 
of  the  Bay,  or  speared  through  the  ice  of 
L'Ecpiille ;  so  the  table  fairly  groaned  with  the 
luxuries  of  these  winter  revellers  in  the  wilds 
of  Acadia.  With  ludicrous  caricature  of  court 
ceremonial,  the  rulers  of  the  feast  marched  to 
the  table,  where  their  invited  guests,  the  In- 
dian chiefs,  sat  with  them  around  the  board ; 
the  squaws  and  children  squatting  on  the  floor, 
watching  for  bits  which  the  lively  company 
no-w  and  then  tossed  to  them.  "  They  sa}- " 
that  an  aged  sachem,  when  dying,  asked  if  he 
should  have  })ies  in  heaven  as  good  as  those 
which  he  had  eaten  at  Poutrincourt's  table ! 

To  the  Indians,  the  greatest  delicacy  of  all 
on  the  table  was  bread.  This,  to  them  a  dainty 
viand,  they  M^ere  always  ready  to  consume  with 
gusto ;  but  were  invariably  averse  to  grinding 


PUllT  ROYAL.  47 

tlie  corn,  tiltliough  promised  half  of  the  meal 
as  recompense  for  their  labor.  The  g-rinding- 
was  i)erformed  with  a  hand-mill,  and  conse- 
quently so  laborious  and  tedious  that  the  sav- 
ag-es  would  rather  suffer  hun<i;-er  than  submit  to 
sucli  drudgery,  which  they  also  seemed  to  think 
deo-radin^  to  the  free  sons  of  the  forest. 

Proverbially  fickle  are  jnunces ;  and  of  this 
Do  ^lonts  was  convinced  on  his  return  to  France, 
for  during-  his  absence  he  had  lost  favor  with 
his  sovereign,  Henry  TV.,  who  revoked  liis 
connnission ;  still  he  succeeded,  after  many  dif- 
ficulties, in  procuring  supplies  for  his  ccdou}-, 
and  arrived  just  in  time  to  prevent  his  peo})le 
from  leaving  Port  Royal  discouraged  and  dis- 
heartened. One  member  of  the  little  conuiui- 
nity  of  Frenchmen  was  Lescarbot,  a  lawyer, 
who  was  talented,  poetical,  and  did  nuich  to 
enliven  the  others  during  the  absence  of  their 
leader,  who,  on  his  return,  was  received  b}'  a 
procession  of  masqueraders,  headed  by  Neptune 
and  tritons,  reciting  verses  written  by  Lescar- 
bot. Over  the  entrances  to  the  fort  and  to  the 
Governor's  apartments  were  suspended  wreaths 


48  OVER    THE  BORDER. 

of  laurel  and  garlands  sniTounding-  Latin  mot- 
toes,—  nil  tlie  Avork  of  tlie  ])iistlniist  (if  one 
may  coin  sucli  a  word).  Tlio  relief  imd  eii- 
courag-enient  bronjj^lit  by  Do  ]\[onts  were  but 
temporary,  and  in  the  spring  (KlOd)  news  was 
received  that  nothing-  more  could  be  sent  to  the 
colonists,  and  they  must  be  disbanded. 

Imagination  portrays  the  strange  picture  j)re- 
sented  at  tliis  time  in  this  remote  ivgion :  the 
gay  French  courtiers  vanishing  from  the  sight 
of  their  Indian  comrades  almost  as  suddenly 
and  mysteriously  as  they  had  appeared  but 
three  years  before,  and  leaving  their  dusky 
boon  companions  lamenting  on  the  shore.  The 
eyes  of  the  savages  —  that  race  who  pride  them- 
selves on  their  stoicism  —  were  actually  dimmed 
with  tears  as  they  watched  the  vessel  fading 
away  in  tlie  distance. 

For  four  years  "  ye  gentle  sauvage"  pursued 
tlie  even  tenor  of  his  way,  and  consoled  him- 
self as  best  he  could  for  the  absence  of  the 
lively  revellers  who  had  cheered  his  solitude  ; 
tlien,  presumably  to  his  delight  (in  1610),  he  saw 
Poutrincourt  returning.      That  nobleman  had 


fe:-* 


WK 


'i«i' 


land***  jiii 


:';i\'  1 


froii)  liu.'  .si'i'^  f. 
lit  leul  N 


|]h. 


!vor  of  ills 
ho  had 


d  hliti- 

•ce  of  tlK' 
iitiuio  ; 


"•ulT," 


ia;''"    sfiW^' 


^liS#^':',| 


("aI'E   Sl'I.II. 


\I'R   SlIAkl',    HAV    ol-    ITM'N. 

!  \ktrii«;e  Is!  ^  m 


PORT  ROVAL.  40 

promised  the  kiii^'"  to  exert  hiinselt'  for  the  con- 
version of  tlie  Indians.  Tlireo  years  hiter  a  com- 
pany of  Jesuits  saih^l  for  this  pf)rt  with  the  same 
ol)ject  in  view;  hut,  h)sin<^  tlieir  reckoning-,  tliey 
founded  settlements  at  Mt.  Desert  instead. 

Machune  de  GuercheviHe,  a  true  woman  in- 
d(!ed,  who  was  honored  and  respected  in  a  dis- 
sohite  court  where  lionor  was  ahnost  unknown, 
liad  ])ecome  a  zeah)us  advocate  of  tl»c  conver- 
sion of  Indians  in  America ;  and  tlu'ough  her 
means  and  influence  several  priests  of  i:he 
Jesuit  order  were  sent  out  in  \(IV2  to  this  set- 
tlement. The  sachems,  Avith  mendjers  of  their 
tribes  I'ving  at  Port  Royal,  were  ba})tized, 
twenty-one  at  one  time,  with  much  show  of 
rejoicing  t3'pitied  by  firing  of  cannon,  waving 
of  banners,  blaring  of  trumpets.  Some  doubt 
is  expressed  whether  the  savages  fully  under- 
stood what  it  was  all  about,  and  what  their  con- 
fession of  faith  fully  sig-nified  ;  as  one  chief,  on 
being"  instructed  in  the  Lord's  Prayer,  objected 
to  asking  for  bread  alone,  saj-ing  that  he  wished 
for  moose  flesh  and  fish  also ;  and  when  one  of 
the  priests  deliberately  set  to  work,  with  note- 


50  uiKii  Tin-:  BunhicR. 

book  5111(1  (juill,  to  learn  the  liiii;4iin<>'<»  of  tlio 
aliori^incs  by  nskiii^i'  one  iiiiiii  tlic  IikIImii  words 
for  various  French  ones  (to  liini  totally  inconi- 
})reliensil)lo),  the  sava«^e,  with  malice  af'ore- 
thon^ht,  purposely  fiavo  him  words  of  evil 
signification,  which  did  not  assist  the  French- 
man in  eidi^^'hteninjjc  other  mend)er8  of  thi.s  be-, 
niiihted  race.  I*erceivin<»'  the  trick  which  had 
been  played  U})on  him  l)y  the  sava<^'e,  who  had 
been  so  perplexed  by  his  (pu'stioning',  the 
priest  dcndared  that  Indian  ])ossesse(l  by  the 
Devil!  However,  with  all  its  discouragements, 
this  was  the  opening  of  the  work  of  the  Jeuiits 
in  America;  in  which  even  those  who  might 
have  thought  their  zeal  at  times  mistaken  could 
not  but  respect  them  for  the  noble  heroism,  dis- 
played during  so  many  years,  in  their  work  of 
civilizing  and  enlightening  the  savages. 

Even  in  these  olden  times  there  were  turbu- 
lent marauders  Jibroad ;  and  one  sucli,  Argall, 
from  Virginia,  after  destro3'ing  the  settlement 
at  Somes  Sound  (Mt.  Desert),  pounced  upon 
this  peaceful  station,  destroying  the  fort  and 
scattering  the  colonists  (1613). 


POUT  noYAL.  61 

The  Hcction  known  ns  Vir«,'-ini}i  was  frnmtcd 
in  1  <»()()  to  tliu  London  jind  IMyni'Mith  Conipn- 
nics;  Jind  as  tliat  portion  cinltrMccd  tlic  conntiy 
between  .'{4'  and  45°  nortli  latitnde,  it  hihmiis 
that  Arj^'-all  pretended  tliat  th(^  Frencli  at  Port 
lioyal  were  interh)pers,  nsnr})in^-  liis  ri^^lits ; 
bnt  as  l)e  Monts  liad  received  in  1(104  a  charter 
for  the  country  defined  as  lyin^-  between  40° 
and  4()°  north  hititude,  Ar<4all  liad  no  rig-lit  to 
dispossess  De  Monts  or  liis  successor. 

Notwitlistandin;^'-  tliat  a  nuunber  of  Ar«>airs 
company  speaks  of  liini  as  "a  genth'nian  of 
nobU^  coura«^(',"  tliat  (l(>es  not  prevent  us  from 
consi(leriii«(  him  a  rascal ;  for  at  this  time 
France  and  Enj^'land  were  at  ])eace,  and  \\(\  was 
unauthorized  in  his  base  and  tyranncms  inva- 
sion of  Port  Royal.  IJefore  his  attack  on  this 
quiet,  })eacefid  station,  he  had  shown  <^Teatest 
tnnu'hery  at  Somes  Sound,  ^It.  Desert,  where 
he  stole  Saussaye's  commission  and  cast  adrift 

ft' 

in  an  open  boat  fifteen  of  the  colonists. 

Poutrincourt's  son,  Biencourt,  was  now  Gov- 
ernor of  Acadia,  and  stationed  at  Port  Royal. 
He  endeavored  to  make  terms  with  Argall,  and 


52  i)\i:ii  Tin:  iu)iti)i:u. 

oflurctl  to  (livi(l(5  with  him  tho  procoodb  oi  the 
fur  tnuh'  jiiid  tlic  ininos  ;  but  this  wjis  refuHod, 
and  tlio  Hotth^niont  })r()kou  up,  houk;  of  tho 
unfortuiiiite  Frcuchnieu  joiniuj,''  (^huuiphiin  at 
(.^!u;hcc,  sonio  scjittorinjj^  iuto  thu  woods  aniou^ 
the  Indians,  vvliih!  otliurs  were  carried  to  Kn^- 
hind  and  from  tlionc(;  demanded  by  tho  Frcncli 
andjassa(h)r.  I'h'is,  after  only  a  little  more 
than  ei<;ht  years  from  the  time  of  settlement, 
the  ('(dony  was  entirely  broken  up. 

En  pasmnt :  A  friend  of  ours,  who  with  his 
family  ])assed  a  summer  in  New  Hampshire, 
"  at  the  roots  of  the  White  Mountains,"  as  some 
one  expressed  it,  sur])rised  an  old  farmer  by 
askinj(  the  names  of  hills  in  sij»lit  from  that 
particular  locality.  The  reply  was,  "  I  dono, 
and  I  dono  as  1  ''are  ;  but  you  city  f(dks,  when 
you  come  here,  are  allers  askin'  questions." 
We  conclude  that  we  are  liable  to  be  classed 
in  a  similar  category ;  and,  in  fact,  the  Dabbler 
when  sketching  one  day  is  asked,  "  Ain't 
some  of  your  part}-  writing  a  book  ? "  The 
interrogator's  mind  is  set  at  rest  by  being  an- 
swered that  the  reason  we  have  become  ani- 


rOUT  ROYAL.  58 

mated  notes  of  iiJt«MTo;»-}iti()ii  is  bocmiso  wo  aro 
int(T('sti;(l  in  tlu^  liistoiy  c*'  tlio  old  town  ;  but 
it  is  tbai't'ul  to  tliink  for  wt  t  tluit  innociMit  lad 
isros[)onsil)lo  :  puttin;;*  notions  in  people's  heads, 
and  causin*'"  tiiis  volume  to  be  iuHieted  on  a 
HufVcring  world  I 

To  return  to  our  subjeet.  Tiie.(dive  briincli 
was  not  yet  to  be  the  enddeni  of  this  spot,  now 
so  peaeeful,  for  a  colony  of  Scotch  ])eople  were 
next  routed  (1G28),  and  the  jdaco  left  in  ruins, 
when  a  senson  of  quiet  ensued ;  but  this  was 
virtually  the  comniencenient  ol'the  French  and 
En«»-lish  wars  in  North  America,  continuinji", 
with  slif^lit  intermissions,  until  the  treaty  of 
ITH.'i,  by  whicli  Franco  gave  up  her  posses- 
sions in  America. 

In  1G,'J4  Port  Royal  fell  into  French  hands 
agciin,  when  Claude  do  Kazilly  was  Governor, 
and  here  for  a  short  time  lived  La  Tour,  one 
of  his  lieutenants,  who  kei)t  up  such  bitter 
feuds  with  D'Aulnay,  who  held  like  position  to 
his  own,  and  whose  story  Whittier  relates  in 
his  poem,  ''  St.  John,  1047." 

Madame  do  la  Tour  nuist  liaA'o  been  one  of 


54  OVER    THE  BORDER. 

the  earliest  advocates  of  women's  rights,  as 
slie  so  bravely  held  the  fort  of  St.  John  in  her 
husband's  absence. 

"  '  But  wliiit  of  my  lady  ] ' 
Cried  Cliiuk's  of  Esticnne. 
'  Oil  tho  sliot-cruiublud  tunvt 
Thy  lady  was  seen  : 
Half  veiled  in  the  sinoke-cloud 
Her  hand  <frasj)e(l  thy  peiiiioii, 
While  her  dark  tresses  swayed 
In  the  hot  breath  of  cannon  ! 

•  •  • 

Of  its  sturdy  defenders, 
Thy  lady  alone 

Saw  the  cross-hlazoned  banner 
Float  over  St.  John. 

•  •  • 

Alas  for  thy  kidy  ! 

K^o  service  from  thee 

Ts  n(!eded  by  her 

Whom  the  Lord  hath  set  free  : 

Nine  days,  in  stern  silence, 

Her  thraldom  she  bore, 

But  tlie  tenth  moruinff  came 

And  Death  openeil  her  door ! ' " 

Hannay  says  she  was  "  the  first  and  great- 
est of  Acadian  heroines, — a  woman  whose 
name  is  as  proudly  enshrined  in  the  history  of 


PORT  ROYAL.  65 

this  land   as   tliat   of  any  sceptred   queen   in 
European  story." 

For  a  long  series  of  years  this  post  of  Port 
Royal  was  the  bone  of  contention  between 
the  French  and  English ;  the  fort,  being  held 
for  a  time  by  one  power,  then  by  the  othei*, 
representing  the  shuttle-cock  when  these  con- 
tending nations  battled  at  her  doors.  In  1054 
the  place  was  held  by  the  French  under  Le 
Borgne.  An  attack  by  the  English  was  suc- 
cessful, though  the  French  Avere  well  garri- 
soned and  provisioned. 

In  De  Razilly's  time  La  Tour,  who  might 
have  been  satisfied  with  his  possessions  at  St. 
John,  assadcKl  it ;  then  English  pirates  took  the 
fishing  fleet  (1684);  next  Sir  William  Phipps 
captured  and  pillaged  the  fort  in  1690.  Shortly 
after  this,  pirates  from  the  West  Indies  })lun- 
dered  the  place;  and  in  1691  it  again  fell  into 
the  hands  of  the  French  under  De  Villebon. 
It  was  still  to  undergo  two  sieges  in  1707, 
when,  under  Subercase,  the  besiegers  were 
repulsed;  and  in  1710  seven  ships  with  Eng- 
lish marines  bombarded   the   fort   for   several 


56  OVER    THE  BORDER. 

days.  The  garrison  at  last,  being  in  starving 
condition,  were  forced  to  yield ;  and  the  victors 
christened  the  place  Annapolis  Royal,  in  honor 
of  their  sovereign  then  reigning  in  Great 
Britahi. 

The  subjugation  of  this  part  of  **  New 
France"  made  Nova  Scotia  an  English  prov- 
ince ;  and  for  a  time  tliis  realm  might  have 
answered  to  the  description  of  Rasselas's  Hap- 
py Valley;  the  thrifty,  honest  people  relieved 
from  "  wars  and  rumors  of  wars,"  and  taking 
up  the  quiet,  contented  routine  of  every-day 
life. 

"  Far  from  the  madding  crowd's  ignoble  strife 
They  kept  the  noiseless  tenor  of  tlieir  way." 

But  in  1744  the  reign  of  siege  and  terror 
began  again,  and  the  town  was  destroyed  by 
bombardment  and  incendiary  fires,  when,  for 
nearly  three  months,  Laloutre  and  Duvivier 
besieged  the  fort.  The  garrison,  augn>ented 
by  troops  from  Louisburg,  and  assisted  by 
provisions  and  men  from  Boston,  finally  re- 
pulsed tlieir  assailants.     The  next  year  there 


PORT  ROYAL.  67 

was  another  assault  under  De  Raniezay,  wliicli 
was  unsuccessful ;  and  after  the  dispersion 
of  the  Acadians  (1755),  the  much-fought-over 
place  was  allowed  to  .remain  in  quiet  until 
1781,  when  two  American  ships-of-war  sailed 
up  the  river  at  night.  Their  forces,  taking 
the  fort  by  surprise,  robbed  the  houses,  after 
imprisoning  the  people  in  the  old  block-liouse. 
Since  that  time  the  English  have  retained  pos- 
session of  this  much-disputed  territory ;  the 
fort  has  been  unarmed  and  unoccupied  (by 
military  force)  since  1850,  when  the  Rifle  Bri- 
gade were  stationed  here ;  but  the  tedium  of 
garrison  life  proving  still  more  irksome  here, 
and  desertions  being  frequent,  the  fort  was 
abandoned  as  a  military  post. 


ANNAPOLIS. 


ANNAPOLIS. 

What  ji  fascination  tliere  is  about  that  old 
fort  at  Annapolis! — "tlio  hornet's  nest,"  as  it 
was  called  in  the  olden  time  ;  the  stronghold 
which  withstood  so  many  sieges,  and  was  the 
subject  of  constant  contentions  in  b}-gone 
vears. 

4/ 

The  hours  slip  by  unnoted  when  one  sits  on 
the  rami)arts  dreaming  and  gazing  on  the  broad 
sweep  of  river,  the  distant  islands,  the  undulat- 
ing lines  of  the  mountain  ranges.  The  sleepy- 
looking  cows  wander  lazily  about,  cropping  the 
grass  on  the  endjankments,  and  even  clamber 
over  the  ancient  arcliwa}-. 

One  i)eoples  the  place  with  imaginary  mar- 
tial figures,  and  is  almost  startled  when  the 
stillness  is  broken  by  a  rustle  and  approaching 
footsteps,  and  turns,  as  if  exjjecting  to  see  glit- 
tering uniforms  appearing  through  the  cruni- 


62  OVER    THE  JiUllDER. 

l)liii<j^  nrvh  ;  hut  it  is  only  old  Mooll}',  who 
(Iclibonitt'ly  wiilks  into  tht3  iinua*  enclosure,  jind, 
if  "  our  s[)0(Mal  artist  on  tlio  spot"  has  left  his 
skt'tcli  for  ;i  moment,  ))rol){ihl}'  puts  her  foot  in 
it,  with  the  air  of  one  who  sliould  say,  "  Wlio 
are  you  wlio  dare  invjuU^  my  realm?" 

'^rhe  (plaint  l)arr}ick  l)uihlino-,  with  its  Im^e 
cliiunieys  and  j^ambrel  rt>of,  is  now  occupied 
hv  several  families;  and  a  wliitewashed  fence 
encloses  a,  (^-jiy  <j;"arden.  'JMie  small  mag-azine, 
built  of  creamy  sandstone  sent  from  France 
for  the  purpose,  still  remains,  and  its  exces- 
sively sharp  roof  shows  above  the  ramparts  ; 
but  the  massive  oaken  door  stands  open  wide 
and  is  g-reen  with  age ;  the  roof  is  decidedly 
sliaky ;  and  the  shingles  liang  loosely,  so 
that  one  would  think  that  only  a  moderate 
gale  would  send  tliem  Hying"  like  a  pack  of 
cards. 

The  block-] louse,  built  of  massive  logs  and 
heavy  i)lanks  of  English  oak,  stood  within  tlie 
past  year  by  the  bridge  over  the  moat ;  but, 
unfortunately,  a  person  without  reverence  for 
antiquities  has  razed  it,  thereby  obtaining  his 


ANNAPOLIS.  6:; 

winter  fuel  clioaply;  and  li(3  now  turns  an  lion- 
est  penny  by  8i'llln<>-  canes,  etc.,  of  tlie  wood. 

Wlien  Ave  indi<»nantly  ask  sonic^  of  tlie  town's- 
peo])le  liow  tliey  could  have  j)ennitted  tliis, 
tliey  rei)ly,  "  Oli,  it  was  gettin<r  rotten,  and 
would  liavci  tumbled  down  some  day  ;  "  but  we 
jud<^'e,  by  pieces  which  we  see  of  the  sound, 
tou;4h-fibred  oak,  tliat  it  nnoht  have  stood  for 
fifty  years  more  without  injury;  whih^  a  little 
judicious  })ro})])in<i;- and  re])airin;4',  perhaps,  would 
have  preserved  it  for  a  lon«»'er  period  than  that. 
Poor  ^nnap(ditans,  who  had  no  Centennial  Ex- 
hibition to  teach  them  the  value  of  historical 
relics  and  "  old  thino-s  "  ! 

On  the  Maine  Central  Kailroad,  quite  near 
the  track  at  Winslow,  we  passed,  on  our  way 
here,  an  old  block-house,  which  is  carefully 
preserved. 

Not  long  ago,  the  Canadian  Government  re- 
ceived orders  that  all  buildings,  excei)t  the  bar- 
rack and  magazine,  nnist  be  removed  from  the 
fort  enclosure  ;  yet  a  garrulous  old  Scotchman 
still  resides  tliere  in  a  tiny  house,  and  plies  his 
trade  as  cobbler. 


04  ovi:n  Tin-:  iionuEii. 

IIiH  (l('li«ilit  is  to  rcj^alo  Htnni^cfrs  wltli  pre- 
posterouH  "yarns,"  mid  {iccounts  of  liis  adveii- 
tiiros  in  licr  Mnjcsty'N  s(;rvi(;o ;  accounts  wliicli 
nuist  l)c  taken  witli  considerably  ni<)re  than  the 
provi^rbial  f>rain  of  salt,  but  to  which  we  list- 
ened with  delit^ht  and  aniazinj^'ly  sol)er  counte- 
nan(!(!S.  AVhen  asked  liow  it  hapjxMis  that  he 
still  remains  in  the  tort  ^rounds,  he  answca's, 
"  I  writ  out  home,  to  An^land,  to  say  that  I 
serrNxul  in  the  arrumy  t'nr  thurty  yt^er,  and  I 
know  the  oidd  nun-ul  will  let  nu;  stay."  (There's 
respect  tor  a  sovereign  !) 

lie  talks  wisely  of  the  "  bnmpruf,"  a  word 
which  we  have  some  difBculty  in  translating 
into  homh  proof;  and  we  are,  api^arently,  over- 
})owored  with  wonder  as  he  exjdains  how  "  with 
a  few  berrls  av  pouther  they  cud  send  ivery 
thing  flying,  and  desthroy  the  whole  place, 
avery  bit  av  it." 

Presumably  misled  by  our  simulated  credu- 
lity, he  goes  on  to  describe  a  well  in  front  of 
the  magazine,  and  says,  "  When  they  wanted 
to  get  red  av  throoblesome  i)reesoners,  ploomp 
they  'd  go  in  the  watter,  and  thet  was  the  last 


\viif\  ]'ro- 


^!:r. 


VA 


»l   'I     ■  •       1 

•    ,1 


•  Ul'.H    \v  liuil 
rl'-l't-  1'l-MIJ   'lie 

,i,,\  :   ■  -tl.  til   v>  I  n  li   v> «'  li.-i- 

,11-,  <i    ',\il,i  .      J   .   ..  1     I   .Mt/.illjU'lv'    (:'»i»«'{     <'>!U't<^ 

I'JlMi'rt.        VV  MCli  i  'UN-  1'     llJIppi  t;-.    ')i;»l     '■•: 

•  ^   X.  I'  •     •■  :       '    •    '«•    '.  'i,  '"  '-'^  ^    I'll*'    ' 

..  '  .     I 

wlii.'li    v«-   :mvc   st'UK'   'li»n«*.|ln    I'l   tnui-*!:iliu^ 

in,,  hit.'h   hi''>.>/ :   alni  wo  •  ••  ,  'il)|>;ii»'i»tly,  <.vx'V 

l„.',N«'.i' ■.!  u  ;ln\  'li'l'.T  i">«  In'- •:  v]'  iii.»  !n>v   "wnli 

t    t<rn'   liDil.-:  in'    r»oiMl}.'i'   J'.' v  "''.'1   --ti!!  iS'VV 

*^\^^^    lMt    .'V    it." 

l^tV,  "!*'»    L;,'»'-^"'5»    t«.    •'t^snil/v,  U  v;i  ?!' ill    iVoiiL  *•! 
•|)j,-    '      .  ■••"ill.',    :«n!     friilV:^,    '*  VVll'l!     lliej    VViUlt.'.l 

tin.  \        i'(«  ill   tiu*,  ovarii  1,  4iU(;   ilit't  V.  .-IS  lliv  l.'i^l 


I.     '\'\iy  <»it'   liim'K    HuCMi',    AwAi-'Mis.      Itistroycd   iN.Sr. 
[From    (I    l'hot(r^>al'h.\ 


\N<IVNI     AkiMN'.W     in     1111     'Ml'    K"!!,     A  N  N  Al'i  >|.|  ,. 


A.YNAPOr.fS  Of) 

MV  \m\ ! "  Suflico  it  to  say,  that  the  oidost 
inhabitant  has  no  recollection  of  the  slightest 
trace  of  such  a  well. 

The  nnderj'Tound  passnp^e  has  fallen  in  ;  only 
the  entrance  being"  now  visible  and  accessible. 
Old  Gill  sa}'s,  "I  was  the  last  man  iver  in  it; 
and  I  g-ot  cang'ht  there  with  the  wall  fallin'  in, 
and  they  were  twinty  fewer  hours  gettin'  nie 
out ;  "  (a  li[e]kely  story  !)  adding-,  "  Oh,  I  was 
a  divil  in  them  days  ! "  and  "  I  found  in  there  a 
bit  av  a  goon  wrinch"  (gun  wrench);  and  Mr. 
So  and  So,  from  ITaHfax,  *'gev  me  some  money 
fur  it,  an'  he  lapped  it  up  in  his  han'kerchef  like 
as  if  it  had  ben  goold/' 

We  are  told  of  an  ancient  house  "of  the  era 
of  the  French  occupation,"  and  go  to  see  it ;  but 
learn,  though  it  looks  so  aged,  that  it  was  built 
upon  the  b-'ite  of  the  French  house,  and  is  not 
the  old  original.  The  owner  has  reached  the 
ripe  age  of  uinety-four,  and  is  a  remarkable 
man,  with  the  polished  manner  of  a  gentleman 
of  the  old  school.  In  such  a  climate  as  this, 
one  would  naturally  expect  to  find  centenari- 
ans.     He    tells    us    many   interesting    things 


C6  OVER    THE  BORDER. 

about  old  times  liore,  niid  liis  grandson  brings 
out  a  barrel  of  Acadian  relics  to  show  us. 

AYe  are  interested  in  noting  the  differences 
between  these  ancient  implements  and  those  in 
use  at  the  present  time  ;  here  is  a  gridiron, 
witli  very  long  handle  and  lour  feet  (a  clumsy 
quadruped),  and  we  s(?e  in  fancy  the  picture 
of  home  comfort,  as  the  busy  housewife  pre- 
pares the  noonday  meal,  where  — 

"Firmly  buildf.'d  with  rafters  of  nak,  the  house  of  tlio  far- 
mer 

Stood  on  the  side  of  a  hill  commanding  the  sea,  and  a 
shady 

Sycamore  grew  by  tin;  door,  with  a  woodbine  wi'eatliiiiL; 
around  it." 

Here,  too,  are  ox  chains,  a  curiously  shaped 
ploughshare,  an  odd  little  spade  used  in  mend- 
ing the  dikes  and  digging  clay  for  bricks,  and 
also  the  long  and  heavy  tongs  of  the  "  black- 
smith," — 

"  Who  was  a  mighty  man  in  the  village  and  honored  of  all 
men  : 
For   since   the  birth    of    time,    throughout   all   ages   and 

nations 
Has  the    ci-aft    of  the  smith    been  held  in    repute   by  the 
people." 


ANNAPOLIS.  »)7 

These  iiiiplemoiits  were  discovered  at  Frencli- 
ninii's  Brook  on  tliis  farm,  only  three  yenrs 
a<^'o,  and  were  when  found  a})parently  as  brij^ht 
and  strong"  as  if  just  ])hiced  tliere.  They  were 
covered  with  l)rusli,  but  a  foot  or  two  below 
the  surface ;  and  seem  to  have  been  hurriedly 
hidden  l)y  the  exiles,  who,  finding"  them  too 
weighty  for  conveyance,  secreted  them,  prob- 
ably with  the  hope  of  returning"  sometime. 

What  a  study  for  an  artist  the  group  would 
have  made,  as  they  stood  examining  the  rusty 
iron,  and  talking  of  the  unhappy  i)eoplc  so 
ruthlessly  sent  into  banishment !  For  back- 
ground, the  (puiint,  unpainted  house,  black  with 
age,  the  roof  of  the  "lean-to"  so  steejdy  slop- 
ing that  the  eave-trough  was  on  a  line  with 
the  heads  of  the  group.  Beyond  lay  the  lovely 
valley,  with  the  winding  Equille  on  its  serpen- 
tine way  to  join  the  greater  river;  the  whole 
picture  framed  in  the  hmg  range  of  wooded 
and  runfg-ed  hills. 

Higginson  thinks  there  has  been  too  much 
sentimentalizing  over  the  fate  of  the  Acadians ; 
and   one  member   of  our  party   so    evidently 


68  ovi:n  THE  nnuDEii. 

considers  that  our  ("itliiisiasin  savors  of  the 
<j;'nsliiii^  scliool-o'irl,  tliat  we  are  cautious  in 
our  remarks.  IJut  t]»e  old  man's  f^randson, 
lioldin<^'  liis  })retty  cliild  on  liis  shoulder,  and 
lookinjj;'  Mcross  the  valley  to  his  jdensant  dwell- 
ini;-,  says,  "  Oh,  it  ^^'as  cruel  to  send  thorn  awa>' 
from  their  homes ! "  to  which  all  earnestly 
assent. 

Clambering'  up  the  hill  back  of  the  (dd  house, 
we  come  upon  the  site  of  an  ancient  French 
church,  and  connnend  the  taste  of  those  wh(> 
chose  such  an  admirable  location.  Here  we 
find,  to  (tur  delig'ht,  that  local  tradition  has 
buried  two  fine  old  bells.  Bells  !  What  a 
charm  there  is  about  them!  On(^  of  the  ear- 
liest recollections  of  our  childluxMl  is  of  a  bell, 
which,  being  harsh  and  dissonant,  so  worked 
upon  our  youthful  sensibilities  as  to  cause  par- 
oxysms of  tears ;  and  now  in  these  later  years 
we  are  sure  that  should  some  g-(^nie  set  us 
down  blindfolded  in  any  place  where  we  had 
(ner  remained  for  a  time  the  mere  tones  of 
the  bells  would  enlighten  us  as  to  our  where- 
abouts. 


ANNAPOLIS.  69 

"  Tlioso.  ovonin^f  bells  !  TIioho  pvnuint,'  Ixjlls  ! 
J  low  r.iJiny  ii  tiilo  their  lunsic  tells, 
Of  youth  and  Iioiik;  and  that  sweet  tinin 
When  la.-^t  I  heard  their  soothing  chime." 

After  tlic  Port  Ritynl  sottleiiu'iit  was  hrok- 
cn  iij)  1))'  Ar^JiU  in  IGl.*),  ti-adition  sjiys  tliis 
cliurcli  (',rinn])le<l  Jiwny  into  i'liiu,  and,  as  tlie  siip- 
])ortiH«''  beams  deeayed,  tlie  bells  sank  to  tlie 
<»'roiiiid,  wliere,  ironi  their  own  weifilit  and  the 
aecunndntions  of  Natiu'e's  ilehris,  tliey  Ijecanie 
more  and  more  dee})ly  endjedded  until  lost  to 
view.  Silver  bells,  from  France,  they  sa}'. 
Of  course!  Who  ever  heard  of  any  ancieni 
bells  which  were  not  larf»ely  composed  of  that 
metal  ?  It  is  a  pretty  myth,  howe\'er,  which  Wii 
adopt  with  ])h!asure;  tluni^h  conmuju  sense 
})lainly  says  that  silver  would  soon  wear  away 
in  such  use;  that  the  n(d)le  jjatrtnis  of  a  stru<^' 
<i;ling'  colony  in  a  wild  country  would  not  have 
been  so  extrava^^-ant  as  that ;  and  that  bell  metal 
is  a  composition  of  copj)er  and  tin  which  has 
been  in  use  from  the  time  of  Henry  J II. 

The  peo[)le  ot"  Antwerp    have  special  affec- 
tion for  the  "Carolus"  of  their  fcimous  cathe- 


70  OVER    THE  BOUUElt. 

dral ;  and  that  bell  is  actually  conn)t).sod  of 
copper,  silver,  and  gold  ;  but  it  is  now  so  niuch 
worn  that  they  are  not  allowed  the  privilege  of 
hearin*''  it  more  than  once  or  twice  a  Acar. 
"  Kings  and  no])les  have  stood  beside  these 
famous  caldrons  "  (of  the  bell  founders),  "  nnd 
looked  with  reverence  on  the  makinijf  of  these 
old  bells ;  nay,  they  have  brought  gold  and 
silver,  and  pronouncing  the  holy  name  of  some 
saint  or  apostle  which  the  bell  was  hereafter  to 
bear,  they  have  flung  in  precious  metals,  rings, 
bracelets,  and  even  bullion." 

Possibly  these  old  bells  of  Annap(dis,  the 
secret  of  whose  hiding-})lace  Nature  guards  so 
well,  were  made  by  Van  den  Glieyn  or  llem- 
ony  of  Belgium,  who  from  1()2()  to  1650  were 
such  famous  founders  that  those  of  their  works 
still  extant  are  worth  their  weight  in  gold,  or 
priceless,  and  are  noted  the  world  over  for 
their  wonderful  melody.     If  so,  when  they 

"  Sprinkletl    with   s(juiu1s    tho  air,  as   the    priest   witli    his 
hyssop 
Spriiililes   the   congregation  and   scatters   blessing   aiuoug 
there," 


ANNAPOLIS.  71 

it  was  no  doiibt  witli  silvery  tone ;   and,  as  it  is 
well  known   that  bells  sonnd  best   vhen  run-- 
on a,  slope  or  in  a  valley  where  there  is  a  lake 
or  river,  donlitless  this  wide  and  lovely  stream 
carried  the  music  of  the    mellow  j)eal,  j.iid  re- 
turninf'"  voyajj^ers  heard  the  welcome  notes ;  as 
the  sailors  of  the  North  8ea,   on  entering*  the 
Scheldt,  strain   their  ears  to  catch  the  faint,  far 
melody  of  the   chimes  of  the   belfry  of   Ant- 
werp, visible  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  away. 
Another  da}^  we  make  an  expedition  to   see 
the  A])ostle   Si)oons,   and  are  received,  as   in- 
variably everywhere,  with  cordial  hospitality. 
These  s])oons  would,   I  fear,  cause  the  eye  of 
an  antiquary  to  gleam  covetously.     They  have 
round,  flat  bowds  about  two  and  a  half  inches 
in  diameter;   narrow,  slender,  and  straight  han- 
dles, terminating",  the  one  with  a  small  turbaned 
head,  the  other  with  a  full-length  figure  al)out 
one  inch  long* ;  the  entire  length  of  the  handles 
being"  about  four  and  a  half  inches. 

In  the  bowl  of  one  the  letters  P  L  I  are 
rudely  cut ;  and  on  both  is  stamped  something" 
which,  they  say,  under  mag-nifjing glass  resem- 


72  (tvicit  rill':  itoiunji. 

l)los  a  Kiii^-'s  licnd.  In  flu*  sj)riii;;- of  1S74  or 
1875  those  \\v\\)  turned  up  )>y  \\\v  plough,  iu  a 
iiohl  t,"\vo  niilcH  boyond  tVo  town,  the  (lis(!()vc'ry 
Ix'ing  niiido  in  tli(^  neigldxn'hood  of  th(3  su))pos('(l 
bitt3  of  an  old  French  ehurcli.  The  fjirnior's 
thi-il'ty  housowih;  w;is  nudging  soap  at  the  tini(3 
the  8])oons  were  unearthed  ;  and  as  th(;y  were 
nnu'h  disecdorod,  "the  old  lead  thin<^s"  wei'O 
toss(!(l  into  the  kcjttle  oi  l\e,  from  whence,  to 
her  amazement,  tlu>y  came  out  ;4ol(l,  or,  at  least, 
sih. erwash  d  with  o()ld.  These  spoons,  they 
say,  were  uscmI  in  the  seivi'-.e  of  the  church;  hut 
it  is  more  hkely  that  they  were  the  ])roperty 
of  some  fannly,  and  })rol)ahle  that  thc^y  were 
dropped  by  their  owners  —  tlu  ■  living  Ix'yond 
the  present  site  of  Anna[)olis  —  wIkui,  at  the 
time  of  the  banishment  of  the  Aeadians,  thev 
were  hurried  away^  to  the  ships  on  the  JJasin  of 
Minas. 

An  apostle  spoon  was  often  a  treasiu'ed  heir- 
lo(>m  in  fann'lies  of  the  better  elass,  and  at  tlu* 
advent  of  each  scicm  of  the  family  tree  was 
suspended  about  the  neek  of  the  inf  mt  at  ba|)- 
tism,  being  supposed  to  exert  some  benefieent 
influence. 


ANNAPOLIS.  78 

Espoclnlly  in  tlic  Kiist,  siljoiit  tlio  sov(»ntli 
century,  wu  find  tliiit  Ji  small  vessel,  or  spoon, 
K()ni(!tini('S  of  ^^'old,  was  uscmI  in  the  cliurches. 
Tlu.'se  were  eucharistie  utensils,  hy  mean  of 
wliieh  couununieants  conveyed  the  sacred  ele- 
ments to  th(i  UKHith;  but  this  custom  was  for- 
bidden and  dime  away  with,  thou^^h  ])rol)ably 
the  tradition  of  such  usa<^e  su^«^ested  the  s[)oon, 
which  became  <^'eneral  in  Greek  and  most  Ori- 
ental churches  many  years  after.  The  supposi- 
tion is,  that  in  those  churches,  alter  the  wafer 
had  betjii  put  into  the  wine  in  the  clialice,  llu; 
Sj)oon  was  used  to  dip  (uit  such  p(»rtioii  as  was 
to  be  reserved  for  administering'  th(!  last  sac- 
ramtuit  to  the  dyinj,'*,  or  to  thosi^  wlio  wen;  too 
ill  to  attend  the  service;  in  the  cliurch.  In  all 
churches  of  the  Kast,  except  tlie  Armenian,  the 
s})oon  is  used  in  a(hninisterin<^  the  sacrament. 

Curious  customs  also  existed  in  ancient  times 
in  n'ference  to  ba[)tism.  Honey  mixed  with 
ndllv  or  with  win(;  was  <^iv(;n  to  tlie  one  who 
had  just  received  this  rite;,  to  show  tliat  lie  wlio 
received  it,  bein^-  ;i  newly  born  child  spiritually, 
must  not  be  fed    with   stron<,''  meat,   but  \  ith 


74  OVEH    THE  noUUKll. 

milk.  This  Ixtjuiio  u  re<,''iil}ir  part  of  the  ritinil, 
and  was  closely  adlicrcMl  to.  TIic  old  custoins 
of  festivals  of  rejoiein^',  public  thaidvsgiviii<i's, 
vveariiig"  of  oarhinds,  siii^^iiio-  of  liyunis,  and 
<i;'ivini>-  j)r(?sents,  are  well  known  and  familiarly 
associated  with  baptismal   festivities. 

The  presentation  (»f  apostle  spoons  at  christ- 
Guin^'s  was  a  very  ancient  custom  in  Kn^iliind. 
A  weidthy  sponsor  or  relntive  who  could  af- 
ford it,  <i'ave  a  complete  set  of  twelve,  each 
with  the  li^ure  of  an  apostle  csirved  or  chased 
on  the  end  of  the  handle  ;  while  sometimes  a 
])oor  person  presented  only  one,  but  on  that 
was  tlie  fijjfuro  of  the  saint  for  whom  the  child 
was  named.  Sometimes  this  rudely  moulded 
little  iiguro  represented  the  patron  saint  of 
the  sponsor  or  the  donor.  In  KJGG  the  cus- 
tom  was  on   the    decline. 

An  anecdote  relating  to  this  usag-e  is  told  of 
Shaks])eare.  The  latter  "stood  godfather"  to 
the  child  of  a  friend ;  and  after  the  ceremo- 
nies of  the  christening,  as  the  poet  seemed 
much  absorbed  and  serious,  the  father  ques- 
tioned him  as  to  the  cause  of  his  melanclioh . 


ANNAPOLIS.  76 

'^riio  sponsor  r<'|»H(Ml,  tliut  ho  was  ('()iisi(lorin«y 
wliat  would  )jo  tlio  most  suitiihlc  ^^It't  lor  liiin  to 
])rosoiit  to  liis  <4()(l-i'liil(l,  and  that  lio  liad  liuidly 
(h'cldtMl.  "  1  '11  <;'iv()  liiin,"  snid  he,  "  a  dozen 
;4'oo(l  hitton  s[)oons,  and  thou  sludt  transhito 
thcni."  "^I'liis  was  a  jday  n[)(>n  tlui  word  Latin, 
ill  tli(i  ^[i(Ml(^  iV^^'cs  a  kind  of  hronzi^  nsiid  tor 
church  and  liouscludd  utensils  was  known  as 
"  hitten  ;  "  and  the  sa»ne  name  was  ai)plied  in 
SliJikspeare's  time  to  thin  iron  j)lat(^  coated 
with  tin,  of  which  domestic  utensils  and  imple- 
ments were:  in;i(le. 

In  dohnson's  "  15arth(doine\v  Fair"  one  of 
his  characters  sa^s,  "And  all  this  for  the  hope 
of  M  coupler  of  a})ostlo  spoons,  .'uid  a  cu})  to  eat 
caudle  in."  Tn  a  work  of  Mi(hlleton,  entitled 
"The  Chaste  Maid  of  ( nienpside,"  one  of  the 
characters  incpiinis,  "  What  has  he  «^iveu  lier  ?" 
to  which  an()ther  rej)lies,  "A  faire  hiyh  stand- 
ing* CU}),  and  two  great  'postle  spoons,  one  of 
them  g-ilt." 

The  hat,  or  flat  covering  on  the  head  of  the 
fio-ure,  —  that  which  we  call  a  turban  in  one 
of  these  at  Annapolis,  —  was  a  customary    ap- 


76  OVER    THE  BORDER. 

pendage  and  usual  in  apostle  si)Oons ;  the  inten- 
tion being-  thereljy  to  })rotect  the  features  of 
the  tiny  lieads  from  wear.  Wliatever  tlie  Iiis- 
tory  of  these  at  Annapolis,  there  can  be  no 
doubt  of  their  genuineness,  and,  in  a  perfect 
state,  they  are  extremely  rare. 

In  our  antiquarian  researches  we  are  natu- 
rally drawn  to  the  old  cemetery,  adjoining  the 
fort  grounds ;  but  learn  tliat  the  oldest  graves 
were  marked  by  oaken  slabs,  which  liave  all 
disappeared,  as  liave  also  many  odd  stone  ones. 
But  among  tlr^se  still  standing  one  records  tliat 
some  one  "dyed  172*J  ;"  another  states  that  the 
body  below  "is  deposited  here  until  the  last 
trump ;  "  and  one,  wliicli  nuist  be  the  veritable 
original  of  the  "  affliction  sore  "  rhyme,  ends  : 
"  till  death  did  sieze  and  God  did  jdease  to 
ease  me  of  my  pain."  Still  another  bears  this 
epitaph,  verbatim  et  literatim  :  — 

"Stay  friend  stay  nor  let  th}--  liart  prophane 
The  lm™I)le  Stone  tliat  tells  you  life  is  vain. 
Here  lyeii  a  youth  in  mouldring  ruiu  lost 
A  blofson  nipt  by  death's  untimely  frost. 
0  then  pre^  ire  to  meet  with  him  above 
In  veaims  of  everlasting  love." 


ANNAPOLIS.  77 

The  stone-cutter's  hand  must  have  been  as 
weary  when  he  bhuidered  over  the  word  hum- 
ble as  the  poet's  brain  evidently  was  Avhen  he 
reached  the  line  which  limps  so  lamely  to  the 
conclusion.     Near  this  recentl}^  stood  a  stone, 

"With  uncnutli  rliymos  and  shajjeless  sculi)tui'c  (lcck«(l," 

on  which  the  representation  of  Father  Time 
was  carved  in  such  peculiar  maimer  that  from 
pose  and  expi-essicui  the  figure  might  have 
passed  for  a  lively  youth  rather  than  the  dread 
reaper,  and  was  irreverently  known  t(^  the  vil- 
lag-e  youths  as  "  Sarah's  young  man,"  a  title 
sug-gested  by  a  popular  song  of  the  day. 

In  a  remote  corner  we  find  the  tomb  of 
"Gregoria  Remonia  Antonia, "  "a  native  of 
Spain  ;  "  and  afterwards  learn  her  story,  —  an 
episode  in  the  life  of  the  Iron  Duke  which 
does  not  do  him  honor.  Did  la  grande  dame, 
the  Duchess,  ever  know  of  the  fair  foreigner 
who  supplanted  her,  the  daine  o'  high  degree, 
in  her  husband's  affection  %  Did  the  beautiful 
Spanish  maiden  dream,  when  the  brilliant  Eng- 
lish General   wooed  her,    that   he   was    doing 


78  OVER    THE    IK  HIDE  It. 

her  and  {inotlicr  woman  tlio  <^roatest  wroii^  ? 
Little  (lid  the  ta.seinatiii<»'  Spaniard  think  that 
tlie  so-cahed  "nobU^nMn"  wouhl  compel  lier  to 
marry  anotlier ;  and  tiiat  other  a  roni»li,  illiter- 
ate  man,  who  would  hring-  her  to  this  wild, 
strange,  far-away  country,  and  that  here  she 
should  be  laid  to  rest  "  after  life's  iitfnl  fever." 
Is  it  to  be  w<»ndered  at  that  her  fierv  South- 
ern  si)irit  rebelled,  that  her  wronf»-s  end)ittered 
her,  and  that  her  life  here  was  unha.])py  ? 

To  add  to  the  romance,  one  who  attended 
her  in  her  last  illness  tells  ns  that  when  the 
garrison  <^ave  a  ball,  the  slender  litthi  S})anish 
lady  loaned  or  gave  "pretty  fixins"  to  the 
young  girls  to  wear,  and  appeared  herself  in 
rich  silks  and  plumes ;  that  she  gave  to  her 
attendant  in  that  illness  a  wonderful  box  '"  all 
done  off  with,  —  well  —  this  here  plated  stuff, 
YOU  know ;  "  and  that  when  the  end  was  draw- 
ing  near,  the  faint,  wenk  voice,  with  its  broken 
English  (at  best  so  difficult  to  understand),  tried 
to  make  "Char-loet-tah "  comprehend  where 
she  must  look  for  something  hidden  away 
which  she  wished  her  nurse  to  have  in  recog- 


ANNAPOLIS.  79 

nition  of  her  services.  But  alas !  tlie  lioardt'd 
treasure  was  not  found  until  nu)ntlis  after  tlie 
})Oor  soul  was  g'one,  and  then  fell  into  the  very 
hands  whieli  the  sad  alien  had  most  desired 
should  not  toueli  it. 

The  old  adaj'-e  about  a  saih)r's  ri<>ht  to  have 
"a  sweetheart  in  every  port"  is  still  cited  in 
these  days  of  boasted  advancement  in  culture, 
reli<iion,  morals;  and  it  is  the  same  old  world 
to-day  as  that  which  lauded  and  bowed  down 
to  liim  whom  it  called  "his  Grace"  (des})ite 
what  we  consider  his  i>race-less  actions) ;  the 
same  world,  alas!  ignoring  the  o})en  and  evi- 
dent fact  when  he  steps  aside  from  the  narrow 
path  of  honor  and  rectitude  ;  while,  should  she 
swerve  In  the  least,  pouring  out  mercilessly  its 
harshest  taunts,  or  overwhelming  her  with  piti- 
less scorn.  This,  because  woman  should  hold 
an  exalted  position,  and  "be  above  suspicion"? 
Then  why  do  not  the  so-called  "  lords  of  crea- 
tion," as  they  might  and  ought,  set  an  example 
of  noble  uprightness  to  "  the  weaker  vessel," 
guiding,  guarding,  upholding  her  through  "the 
shards  and  thorns  of  existence  "  I 


80  OVER    THE  BORDER. 

Tlie  Si)anisli  (»irl,  left  un  orplinn  by  the  wars 
in  wliicli  tlio  dasliino'  and  <4'allant  Knjilisli  offi- 
cer figiiro<I  so  proudly,  fell  to  the  care  of  two 
aunts,  who,  bol()nf>'ing'  to  that  indolent,  pleasure- 
loving"  race  of  sunny  Si)ain,  perha})s  left  the 
poor  girl  too  nnich  to  her  own  devices,  and 
thus  she  may  have  been  more  easil}-  Ijeguiled. 

"  Look  here,  upon  this  picture,  and  on  this : " 
first,  the  gay  little  senorita,  ludding  daintily 
in  her  tapering  fingers  a  cigarette,  which  she 
occasionally  raises  to  her  "  ripe  red  lips,"  after- 
wards lanji^uidly  following  with  her  lustrous 
black  eyes  the  blue  wreaths  of  smoke  as  the}' 
float  above  her  head  and  vanish  in  the  air;  next, 
the  withered  crone,  with  silver  hair,  wrinkled 
skin,  and  no  trace  of  her  early  beaut) ,  sitting 
in  the  chimney  corner,  and  still  smoking, 
though  now  it  is  a  clay  pipe, — to  the  amaze- 
ment and  disgust  of  the  villagers.  Yet  we, 
believing  in  tlie  only  correct  interpretation  of 
Hohlesse  ohli//e,  and  tliat  lie  oidy  is  truly  noble 
who  acts  nobly,  have  only  pity  for  the  poor  soul 
who  here  laid  down  life's  w^eary  burden  twenty- 
two  years  ago  at  the  age  of  seventy-two,  and 


ANNAPOLIS.  81 

scorn  for  liim  who  rests  in  an  honored  gra'^'o, 
and  is  idealized  among-  the  world's  heroes. 

How  amusing  it  is  to  hear  the  people  speak 
of  us  invariably  as  "  Americans,"  as  if  we  were 
from  some  far-away  and  foreign  country,  and 
to  hear  them  talk  of  England  as  *'  home"  ! 

The  hearty  cordiality,  natural  manner,  and 
pleasantly  unworldly  ways  of  the  i)eoi)le  are 
most  refreshhig;  in  "  a  world  of  hollow  shams," 
to  find  persons  who  are  so  f/emdne  is  delightful ; 
and  thus  another  charm  is  added  to  give  greater 
zest  to  our  enjoyment. 

One,  half  in  jest,  asks  a  Halifax  gentleman  how 
they  would  like  to  be  aimexed  to  the  United 
States,  and  is  quite  surprised  at  his  ready  and 
earnest  reply:  **  Annexed?  Oh,  yes,  we'd  be 
glad  to  be  ;  .  .  .  we  would  n't  come  with  empty 
hands;  we  have  what  you  want, — fisheries, 
lumber,  minerals ;  we  'd  not  come  as  paupers 
and  mendicants.  ...  It  will  come,  though  it 
may  not  be  in  our  day.  .  .  .  Tlie  United  States 
"would  not  wish  to  purchase,  —  she  has  done 
enough  of  that :  we  would  have  to  come  of  our 
own  free  will ;  and  we  would,  too  I  " 

9 


82  OVER  Tin:  iioudeu. 

Tlien  tliere  is  tlie  elderly  Scotcli  j^'-entlomtiii, 
who  iippropriately  luiils  from  the  place  with  the 
outlandish  name  of  Musquodoboit.  II(^  tells  ns 
tlint  during  the  "  airly  pairt "  of  his  residence 
'.'i  America  he  visited  in  the  States,  and  that  he 
has  seen  '' fower  Preesidents"  inaugurated. 

Of  his  first  attendance  at  such  a  ceremony 
he  says :  "An'  whan  I  see  thet  mon,  in  hes  jdain 
blek  coat,  coomin'  out  amang*  all  o'thim  pooph.^^ 
an'  all  the  deegnetirries  in  their  blek  coats  tu, 
an'  not  a  uniforrum  {nnoong  thim,  I  said,  '  This 
is  the  coontry  fur  me,'  —  it  suited  my  taste. 
An'  how  deeferint  it  wud  be  in  Yerruj),  where 
there  wud  be  tin  thausind  mooskits  aboot,  to 
kep  'im  from  bein'  shot." 

On  our  way  here  we  were  told :  "  Oh,  you  '11 
find  Annapolis  hot ! "  It  might  perhaps  seem 
so  to  a  Newfoundlander ;  but  to  us  the  climate 
is  a  daily  source  of  remark,  of  wonder  and 
delight.  It  is  balmy,  yet  bracing ;  and  though 
there  may  be  times  when  at  midday  it  is 
decidedly  warm,  —  as  summer  should  be,  —  the 
nights  are  always  cool,  and  we  live  in  flannel ' 
costumes  and  luxuriate. 


AXXAPOLIS.  88 

AVMrrior  spo.'iks  of  ''  tlieao  nortlieastorn  Limls 
wliicli  the  (liilf  Stream  pets  and  tom])ers  ;  "  yet 
lie  pa.ss(;d  tlir()u;^l»  tliis  dear  old  town  without 
sto})pin<i',  remark in<j;-  only  that  he  could  not  l)e 
content  tor  a  week  here,  and  felt  no  interest  in 
the  })lace  apart  from  its  historic  associations. 
Let  him  stop  next  time  and  investi«^ate.  We 
flatter  ourselves  that  we  could  enlif^hten  him 
somewhat. 

Our  friends  at  various  shore  and  mountain 
resorts  report  constant  fogs ;  yet  we  can  testify 
that  in  nearly  seven  weeks'  residence  here  there 
were  but  two  mornin<(S  which  were  foo^y^  and 
on  those  days  the  gray  screen  was  rolled  away 

at  noon. 

"  aloft  on  the  mountains 
Sea-fogs  pitcliod  their  tents,   and    mists    from    th(3    mighty 

Atlantic 
Looked  on  tlio  happy  valley,  hut  ne'er  from  their  station 

descended." 

That  singular  feature  spoken  of  in  Longfel- 
low's poem  ' .  shown  here  :  the  mists  rise  from 
the  Bay  and  rest  lovingly,  caressingly,  on  the 
crests  of  the  long  range  of  mountains,  giving 
them  the   appearance   of  comfortable  warmth 


84  OV/Jli    THE  JIORDER. 

niuler  tliis  downy  coveHot  on  cool  nights  ;  l)nt 
tin's  flooco  very  rarely  descends  to  the  valley. 

Dr.  ().  W.  Holmes  ninst  have  had  such  a 
])lace  as  this  in  mind  when  lie  said  :  — 

"  And  .siltMici;  likf  a  jtoultino  caino 
To  liL'iil  tilt'  bluws  of  sound  ;  " 

and  surely  tym])anunis  most  hruised  hy  the 
world's  clangor  and  jar  could  not  fail  here  to 
be  soothed  and  healed  ;  and  the  writer  of  "  Oh, 
where  shall  rest  be  found  ?  "  would  have  re- 
ceived answer  to  his  query  here  also.  The 
quiet  is  astonishing' :  there  are  no  farm  sounds 
even ;  and,  thou<j;h  the  hours  pass  so  ]deasantly 
that  wc  "  take  no  note  of  time,"  we  can  tell 
■when  Saturday  comes,  for  then  numbers  of 
log-laden  ox-carts  plod  slowdy  into  the  village 
from  the  l)ack  country. 

Tlie  bells  on  the  animals'  necks  tinkle  pre- 
cisely like  the  sound  of  ice  when  carried  in  a 
pitcher  of  water  ;  and  consequently  do  not  jar 
upon  one's  ear  in  this  quietude  as  the  clank- 
ing lierd-bells  which  we  hear  in  some  fiirming 
regions  of  the  States. 


ANNAI'OLIS.  85 

Atiii*i1it  tlio  oiil y  l)iviik  in  tlu^  prntoiiiul  still- 
ness is  v'lion  tlio  tide  is  cl)l>in;^',  Jiiwl  the  !'i(jiiilIo 
v'du  1)0  hcju'tl  riisluii<^-  uiidcr  tlio  l)ri(l;4(i  a  (|UJir- 
ter  of  a  mile  awa\-.  \V(  cMiinot  discover  the 
ineiii.iiig"  ot"  that  word,  and  so  eonsult  a  iorei^^ii 
relative,  who  fells  us  that  at  Dinard,  \n  France, 
they  catch  the  eqn'iUr^  —  a  small  iish,  also  called 
a  langon^  because  it  darts  in  juid  out  of  the  sand, 
and  in  its  movements  is  somethinj^'  like  an  eel. 

'^J'hat  certainly  describes  this  peculiar  stream, 
for  surely  it  would  be  ditlicult  to  iind  one  w  ith 
a  nu)re  circuitous  course.  It  forms  two  horse- 
shoes and  an  ox-bow  connected,  as  Ave  see  it 
from  our  windows ;  and  when  the  tide  is  out 
diminishes  to  a  rivulet  about  two  feet  in  width. 
At  flood  it  is  more  than  twice  the  width  of  the 
Wissahickon,  and  when  the  liij^-h  tides  of  August 
come  its  magnitude  is  surprising-. 

Then  avc  understand  why  the  hay-ricks 
(which  we  wickedly  tell  our  friends  from  the 
*'IIub"  resemble  gigantic  loaves  of  Boston 
brown  bread)  are  on  stilts ;  for,  regardless  of 
dikes  or  boundaries,  this  tortuous  creek  spreads 
over  its  wdiole  vallev,  as  if  in  emulation  of  the 


86  •      or/;/.'  rm:  iuhideu. 

j^vcator  river  of  which  it  is  n  trihiitJiry.  ITali- 
burton  Hays  tliat  tor  u  tiiiio  this  was  called 
Allan's  liiver,  and  the  g-reater  one  was  named 
the  Danjjhin  ;  hnt  we  are  y-lad  that  the  old 
French  name  was  restored  to  the  serpentine 
creek,  as  it  is  so  nnich  better  suited  to  its 
jx'cidiar  character. 

The  f«'reat  event  of  the  week  is  the  arrival  of 
the  Jjoston  steamer,  when  all  the  town  tnrns 
out  and  wends  its  wav  to  the  wharves. 

The  peculiar  rise  of  the  tide  (thirty  feet)  is 
here  plainly  shown,  as  one  week  the  passenj^-ers 
step  otf  from  the  very  roof  of  the  saloon,  and 
next  time  she  comes  in  they  disembark  from 
the  lowest  <i-ano\v{iy  possible  and  clind)  the  lon<»' 
ascent  of  sli})))ery  })lMnks  to  the  level  above. 

The  river  shows  curious  currents  and  coun- 
ter-currents, as  bits  of  debris  are  hurry ino-  up- 
ward in  the  middle  of  the  stream,  while  similar 
flotsam  and  jc^tsam  rush  away  as  rapidly  down 
stream  along  both  shores. 

The  queer  old  tub  of  a  ferry-boat,  with  its 
triano'idar  wings  sjjreading"  at  the  sides,  —  used 
as  guards  and  "  gang  planks,"  —  is  a  curiosity, 


ANNAPOLIS.  87 

jis  it  ziyz{i<^s  acroHH  tlio  powerful  (Uirrcnt  to  tlio 
villMj^'o  on  tlio  opposite  sliorc. 

Hut  "  the  fciTNinau  'h  slim,  tlio  fcrrvnuui  'h 
Viuni^',  and  he 'h  just  Ji  soft  twaii^'  in  tlio  turn 
of  liis  tonj^uo  ;  "  and  in  our  l'ro(|U('nt  trips  jicross 
he  prol)al>ly  makes  a  mental  note  when  lu^  hears 
us  lanu'nting  that  we  cannot  jji^et  lohsters,  for 
on(;  diiy  he  sends  to  our  abiding  place  four 
fme  l}ir<^'e  ones,  and  will  not  receive  a  cent  in 
rennnieration. 

Another  time,  when  wnitin^  for  the  farmer's 
sou  to  guide  us  to  the  "  ice  mine,"  —  a  ravine 
in  the  mountains  where  ice  remains  throu<^h 
the  sunnner,  —  a  delicious  lunch,  consisting-  of 
fresh  bread,  sweet  milk,  and  cake,  is  unex])ect- 
edly  set  before  ns,  and  the  generous  farmers 
wife  will  not  listen  to  recompense. 

A  modern  writer  says:  "A  great  part  of  the 
enjoyment  of  life  is  in  the  knowledge  that  there 
are  people  living  in  a  worse  i)lace  than  that  you 
inhabit ;  "  but  it  does  not  add  to  our  ha])})iness 
to  think  of  those  who  could  not  come  to  this 
lovely  spot ;  and  we  connniserate  the  Can't-got- 
away  Chib  of  the  cities. 


8S  OVER    THE  BORDER. 

We  would  not  cliange  ])laces  with  any  of  the 
dwellers  at  the  fashionahle  resorts  at  spring-H, 
sea,  or  mountains,  —  no,  indeed  !  though  they 
no  doubt  would  elevate  their  noses,  and  set 
this  place  down  at  once  as  '*  deadly  dull,"  or 
"  two  awfully  slow  for  anything* !  " 

Doubtless  those  also  of  our  friends  to  whom 
we  tell  the  plain,  unvarnished  truth,  if  they 
come  here  will  be  disa])pointed,  as  they  will 
not  see  with  our  eyes.  One  cannot  expect  the 
luxuries  of  palatial  hotels  at  live  dollars  per 
day ;  such  would  be  out  of  ])lace  here. 

At  our  abiding"  place,  which  looks  like  a 
gentleman's  residence,  and  is,  as  one  of  the 
Plaliftix  g-uests  says,  "not  a  bit  like  an  'otel," 
there  is  an  extensive  garden,  from  which  we 
are  regaled  with  choice  fresh  vegetables  daily  ; 
and  we  have  such  home-made  butter  !  (Tlie  bill 
of  fare  "  to  be  issued  in  our  next").  A  French- 
man  mi<)fht  think  that  *'  we  return  to  our  niut- 
tons  "  frequently ;  still,  as  that  viand  suggests 
at  least  the  famous  English  Southdown  in  excel- 
lence, we  ar(3  resigned. 

A  noted  wit  has  said  :  "  Doubtless  God  might 


ANNAPOLIS.  89 

have  made  a  better  berry  than  the  strawberr}', 
but  doubtless  God  never  did  ;  "  and  if  one  is  so 
fortunate  as  to  come  to  this  country  in  proper 
season  he  can  feast  on  that  delectable  fruit  in 
its  perfection,  —  that  is,  the  wild  fruit,  so  much 
more  delicious  and  delicate  in  flavor  than  after 
its  boasted  "improvement"  by  cultivation.  If 
one  arrives  before  the  close  of  the  fisheries,  salm- 
on, fit  for  a  royal  banquet,  graces  the  table ; 
while  even  in  July  and  August  he  may  enjoy 
shad ;  and  strange  enough  it  seems  to  Pliiladel- 
phians  to  be  eating  that  fish  at  such  time  of  year. 

There  are  in  the  town  a  number  of  inns,  and 
summer  guests  are  also  made  welcome  and  com- 
fortable in  many  of  the  private  residences.  In 
one  of  the  latter  —  a  large  old-fashioned  house, 
with  antique  furniture  —  three  sisters  reside, 
who  possess  the  quiet  dignity  and  manner  of 
the  old  school ;  and  here  one  would  feel  as  if 
visiting  at  one's  grandfather's,  and  be  made 
pleasantly  "  at  home." 

We  are  surprised  to  find  tliat  this  old  town 
has  generally  such  modern  and  New-England- 
ish  aspect ;  and  are  told  that  it  has  twice  been 


UO  OVER    THE  BORDER. 

nearly  destroyed  by  firo,  even  in  modern  times ; 
therefore  l)ut  few  of  the  quaint  buiklings  remain. 
Some  of  these  are  picturesque  and  interesting, 
tlie  one  combining  jail  and  court-house  being  a 
feature  of  the  main  street.  Tlie  window  of  one 
of  the  cells  faces  the  street;  and  the  2)risoner's 
friends  sit  on  the  steps  without,  whiling  away 
the  tedium  of  incarceration  with  their  converse. 

The  oldest  dwelling  hi  the  town  stands  on 
St.  George's  Street,  nearly  opposite  the  old- 
fashioned  inn  known  as  the  Foster  House.  Its 
walls  were  originally  made  of  mud  from  the 
flats,  held  together  by  the  wiry  marsh  grass, 
which,  being  dried,  was  mixed  in  the  sticky 
substance  as  hair  is  in  plaster ;  but  as  these 
walls  gave  way  from  the  eftects  of  time  the 
seams  and  cracks  were  plastered  up,  and  by 
degrees  boarded  over,  until  now  the  original 
shows  only  in  one  part  of  the  interior. 

The  houses  throughout  this  region  are  almost 
invariably  without  blinds  or  outside  shutters, 
and  consequently  look  oddly  to  us,  who  are 
inclined  to  screen  ourselves  too  much  from  "the 
blessed  sunshine."     Bay  windows  are  popular. 


ANNAPOLIS.  91 

We  saw  one  small  house  with  four  double  and 
two  sinj:^le  onCvS,  g-iving-  it  an  air  of  impertinent 
curiosity,  as  tlie  dwellers  therein  could  look 
out  from  every  possible  direction.  The  ancient 
dormer  windows  on  the  roofs  have  given  ])la(*e 
to  these  queer  bulging*  ones,  which,  in  Halifax 
especially,  are  set  three  in  a  row  on  the  gray 
shiiiu'les,  and  bear  ludicrous  resendjlance  to 
gigantic  bee-hives. 

In  some  of  tlie  shops,  at  the  post-office  and 
railroad  station,  our  money  is  taken  at  a  small 
discount :  Init  in  many  of  the  shops  they  allow 
us  full  value  for  it.  In  one  the  proprietor  t(dls 
us  of  the  sensation  caused  here  once  by  the 
fail  I- re  of  a  Canadian  bank,  and  the  surprise  of 
the  towu's-people  —  whose  faith  seemed  shaken 
in  all  such  institutions  —  Avhen  he  continued  to 
take  United  States  bank-bills.  He  says:  *'I 
told  'em  the  United  States  Government  had  n't 
failed,  that  I  believed  in  it  yet,  would  take  all 
their  money  I  could  get,  and  be  glad  to  have  it, 
too  ! " 

To  continue  the  impression  of  being  in  a  for- 
eigr  land,  we  must  attend  service  at  the  five  or 


02  OVER   THE  BORDER. 

six  (lifforent  clmrclies,  and  hear  the  prayers  for 
tlie  Queen  and  Royal  Family.  In  the  first 
})lace  of  worship,  where  tlie  Octave  anjjinients 
the  congregation,  Victoria  and  many  of  lier 
family  are  mentioned  by  full  name  and  title, 
in  sonorous  and  measured  tones ;  in  the  next 
the  pastor  speaks  of  "Our  Sovereign,  and  those 
under  her  and  over  us;"  in  another  "Our 
Queen  "  is  sim})ly  referred  to ;  and  some  minis- 
ters who  are  suspected  of  being  tinctured  with 
repuljlicanism  sometimes  forget  to  make  any 
special  allusion  to  her  Majesty. 

In  oiu'  walks  up  the  nuxin  street,  which  is 
not  remarkably  bustling  or  busy,  we  see  long 
rows  of  great  old  hawthorn  bushes  bordcu-- 
ing  the  road,  and  giving  quite  an  English 
touch  to  the  scene ;  and  everywhere  gigantiC 
apple-trees,  which  would  deliglit  an  artist,  so 
deliciously  gnarled  and  crooked  are  they. 

I  am  not  aware  that  astronomy  is  a  favorite 
study  with  the  inhabitants,  but  have  no  doidjt 
that  cidereal  observations  are  popular  at  cer- 
tain seasons,  —  as  this  country  is  a  famous 
apple-growing  district,  and  that  fruit  is  sent 


ANNAPOLIS.  93 

from  here  to  England  and  tlie  States  in  vast 
qnantities.  Octavius  says,  "  If  von  would 
know  what  ann-apol-is,  you  should  come  here 
in  the  fall,"  but  is  at  once  frowned  down  by 
the  other  seven  for  this  atrocity. 

The  valleys  of  Annapolis  and  Cornwallis 
yield  an  average  crop  of  two  hundred  thousand 
barrels  of  apples.  Dealers  in  Bangor  who  paid 
Si  per  barrel  in  Boston  for  this  fruit,  have 
afterwards  been  chagrined  on  discovering  that 
it  came  from  Annapolis  originally,  and  that 
they  could  have  procured  the  same  from  that 
place  direct  at  $2.25  to  83  per  barrel. 

Very  lovely  is  the  view  from  a  hill  out- 
side the  village,  and  there  also  is  the  Wishing 
Rock,  —  one  of  the  most  noted  objects  of  in- 
terest, as  a  guide-book  would  term  it.  "lliey 
say"  that  if  one  can  run  to  the  top  without 
assistance,  or  touching  the  rock  with  the  hands, 
then  whatever  one  wishes  will  "  come  true." 
This  feat  it  is  almost  impossible  to  accomplish, 
as  the  stone  has  been  worn  smooth  by  count- 
less feet  before  ours;  still  the  youthful  and 
frisky  members  of  our  party  must  attempt  the 


94  OVER   THE  nORDEli. 

» 

ascent,  Avitli  a  run,  a  rush,  and  a  shout,  while 
tlie  ehlers  look  on,  smiling  benig'uly. 

The  (likes  of  L'E(iuille  form  r.  peculiar  but 
pleasant  promenade ;  and  along*  that  narrow, 
circuitous  path  we  frecpiently  Avandor  at  sun- 
set. These  embankments  remain,  in  great  })art, 
as  originally  built  by  the  Acadians,  and  are 
formed  of  rubbish,  brush,  and  river  nuid,  over 
which  sods  are  closely  packed,  and  for  most 
of  the  season  they  are  covered  with  tall  waving 
grass.  This  primitive  sea-wall  is  six  or  eight 
feet  in  width  at  the  base,  and  only  about  one 
foot  wide  at  the  top,  so  it  is  necessary  for  him 
"who  standeth"  to  ''take  heed  lest  he  fall;" 
otherwise  his  enthusiasm  over  the  beauties  of 
the  prospect  may  receive  a  damper  from  a 
sudden  plunge  into  the  water  below. 

There  is  a  fine  new  rink  in  the  village ;  and 
in  the  mornings  those  of  us  who  are  novices  in 
the  use  of  rollers  have  a  quiet  opportunity  to 
practise  ajid  disport  ourselves  with  the  grace 
of — a  bureau,  or  other  clumsy  piece  of  furni- 
ture on  wheels ! 

Then  we  go  to  the  wharves  to  witness  the 


ANNAPOLIS.  l»o 

ladinj"'  of  lumber  vessels.  Some  of  the  lo^-s 
floating"  in  the  water  are  so  hu^^e  as  to  attest 
that  there  are  vast  and  aj^^ed  forests  somewliere 
in  her  Mnjesty's  domains  in  America ;  and  the 
lumbermen,  attired  in  rough  eorchn-o}-,  red 
shirts,  and  1)ig  boots,  balance  themselves  skil- 
fully on  some  of  the  slippery  trunks,  while 
■with  pole  and  boat-hook  propelling  other  great 
ones  to  the  gaping  months  in  the  bow  of  the 
vessel.  Then  horse,  rope,  pulley,  and  windlass 
are  brought  into  play  to  draw  the  log  into  +he 
hold  and  place  it  properly  among  other  mon- 
arehs  of  the  fcn'est,  .thus  ignominiously  laid  low, 
and  become  what  "  Mantalini "  would  style  "a 
damp,  moist,  unpleasant  lot."  From  the  wharf 
above  we  look  down  into  the  hold,  and,  seeing 
this  black,  slimy,  nuiddy  cargo,  say  regretfully, 
'*  How  are  the  might v  fallen  ! "  as  we  think  of 
the  grand  forests  of  which  these  trees  were 
once  the  pride  and  glory,  but  of  which  ruth- 
less man  is  so  rapidly  despoiling  poor  Mother 
Earth. 

We  have  brought  with  us  those  aids  to  indo- 
lence wdiicli  a  tiny  friend  of  ours  calls  "hang- 


96  OVER    THE  BUllDEll. 

upH,"  expecting  to  swing  tlieni  in  tlie  woods 
mid  inlifde  tlie  odors  of  pine;  but  the  woods 
are  too  far  away ;  so  we  are  fain  to  sit  under  a 
small  group  of  those  trees  at  the  end  of  the 
garden  and  gaze  upon  the  peaceful  valley. 

**  There  in  tlio  traiK^uil  evenings  of  sunmier,  when  brightly 
the  sunset 
Ligliteth  tlie  village  street,  and  gildeth  the  vanes  on  the 
cliinmeys," 

we  sit,  when 

"  Day  with  its  burden  and  heat  has  departed,  and  twilight 
descending 
Brings  back  the  evening  star  to  the  sky,  and  the  herds  to 
the  homestead." 

Thei'e  wo  sit  and  talk  of  the  romantic  story, 
comparing  notes  as  to  our  ideal  of  the  heroine; 
and  such  is  the  influence  of  the  air  of  senti- 
ment and  poetry  pervading  this  region,  that  we 
decide  that  Boughton's  representation  of  her, 

"  When  in  the  harvest  heat  she  bore  to  the  reapers  at  noon- 
tide 
Flagons  of  home-brewed  ale,  .  .  . 

Xut-brown  ale,  that  was  famed  for  its  strength  in  the  vil- 
lage of  Grand  Pre," 


% 


•■•.*!**              ' 

'    :!"■'>■.■ 

!«'.':(,   M' 


5 


.-f 


i 


7  f{    THE  fH<ni>Ek 


liiir.^  jr 


•  (u  »\vin«:  n  the-  woods 

\\w  odoi-8  of  pill  Iw   woods 


■•.!.;:   '..l.J.U.i    lU' 


iieut  )it>'  ilo|iaTte'l,  (unJ  twillj-.hri 
viMtuib  iiUi.  10  tac  !!iwy>  and  the  hofls  to 


t  I' 


ri lent  iuid  pooTij- Lit  '        that  we 

irwd  lieat.  Vbe  '  ■  renpers  at  noou- 

;  .,        ,,  ,  .;  slreugthin  the  rU- 


V. 

c 


V. 


'i. 


'M 


ANyAPuUS.  1>7 

is  too  sturdy,  uh  with  inasciillno  sti'idc  hIk^ 
iiiiirclKf.s  Ji-ii('l(l ;  and  tliut  ( 'mistaut  Mcvcr's 
ideal  inon)  nearly  apprnaj'iics  oui's.  Tliu  onu 
d('iM('t.s  licr  ill  ratlicr  I'uritanic-  attiro;  the 
niher,  stiidyin*^'  authentic  costume,  they  say, 
hIiows  her 

"  Wearing  Iter  Nonnim  cap,  and  Ikt  kirtlo  i)f  bliu',  ami  tho 

(Mir- rings, 
JU'ought  ill  tin)  oldcii  tiuii^  from   Kraiict^,  and  sinci',  a.s  an 

lifirlnoiu 
llandcil  ddwa  from  luuLht^r  to  child,  tliroiiyli  louy  gonora- 

tiuiis ; " 

and  seated  by  tho  roadside,  as, 

"  witii  (lod'-s  hencidictidu  upon  hor, 
,  .  .  a  celostial  brightness  —  a  morn  ethereal  beauty  — 
Shono  on  hor  face  and  encircled  her  form." 

All  .ilon*^  the  roads  we  nc)tioe  a  delicate 
white  l)l()ssoni,  resend)lin<»-  the  Knolish  })rini- 
rose  in  shape,  and  one  day  ask  an  intelligent- 
lookin«^  jf-irl  whom  we  meet  what  it  is  called; 
she  does  not  know  tlie  name,  hut  says  the  seed 
was  accidentally  brought  from  England  many 
years  ago,  and  the  plant  "has  since  become 
(juite  a  pest,"  —  which  wo  can  hardly  nnder- 

7 


98  OVER    THE  BOltDER. 

stand  as  we  enjoy  its  grace  and  beauty.  We 
notice  tliat  our  pleasant  intorniaut  follows  a 
})retty  fashion  of  other  belles  of  the  village,  — 
a  fjishion  which  suits  their  clear  complexions 
and  bright  faces;  that  is,  wearing  a  gauzy 
white  scarf  around  the  hat,  and  in  the  dainty 
fVdds  a  cluster  of  fresh  garden  flowers. 

The  artist  Houghton  says:  "The  ini})res- 
sionist  is  a  good  antidote  against  the  illusionist, 
who  sees  too  much,  and  then  adds  to  it  a  lot 
that  he  does  not  see."  If  he  had  ever  visited 
this  place  we  wonder  what  his  idea  would  be 
of  this  (plaint  poem,  supi)osed  tu  have  been 
written  in  1720,  which  we  have  unearthed. 

We  have  acquired  quite  an  affection  for  this 
pleasant  old  town,  and  shall  be  loath  to  leave. 
If  our  friends  think  we  are  too  enthusiastic,  we 
shall  refer  them  to  this  old  writer  to  prove  that 
we  have  not  said  all  that  we  might ;  as  he 
indulges  in  such  airy  flights  of  fancy  and  such 
extravagant  })raise. 

His  description  would  lead  one  to  expect  to 
see  a  river  as  great  as  the  Mississippi,  a)id 
mountains    resembling    the    Alps    in    height. 


ANNAPOLIS.  9i) 

wlieroMS  in  roMllty  it  is  ji  (iiii(^t  and  not  ex- 
traordinary tlK>n<»li  most  ploasin^^-  landsoipo 
which  here  "delij^lits  tlie  oye." 

ANNAPOLTS-llOYAL. 

Tlio  Kiii^'  of  Uivc.rs,  folcinn  calm  and  flow, 

FloWrt  tow'rd  the  Soa  yet  fcarco  is  fcujii  to  flow  ; 

On  each  fair  IJaiik,  tlio  verdant  Lauds' arc  fecn, 

In  gayi'.ft  (Jloatliing  of  perpetual  (in-on  ; 

(Ju  (iv'ry  Sid(!,  the  I'r(»fpc(5t  l)nuj:^s  to  Sij^dit 

The,  Fields,  the.  Flow'is,  and  cv'iy  tV(!fli   l>(;Iigl)t: 

His  luv(;ly  Hanks,  nioft  lH!iiut(ioufly  are  },'rac'd 

With  Nature's  fwoet  variety  of  Tafte. 

Kerbs,  Fruits  and  (irafs,  with  int(!rniin;^ded  Trees 

The  ProfiM'dl  longthcu,  autl  the  Joys  increafo  : 

The  lofty  Mountains  rife  to  ev'ry  View, 

Creation's  Cilory,  and  Its  Heauty  too. 

To  higher  (Jrounds,  the  raptur'd  View  extends, 

Wliilfl  in  the  (Uoud-top'd  ('lilik  the  riandfea[)e  ends. 

Fair  Siu^nes  !  to  Avhieli  fliould  Angels  turn  their  .Sight; 

Angels  might  fland  aftonifli'd  with  Delight. 

Majeftic  drove.'  in  ev'ry  View  arifo 

And  greet  with  Wcjuder  the  Beholders'  Eyes. 

In  gentle  Windings  where  this  Jliver  glides, 

And  Herbage  thick  its  (,'urrent  alniofl;  hides ; 

Wlu-re  fweot  Mean<l<'rH  lead  his  pleafant  ('ourfe, 

Where  Trees  and  Plants  and  Fruits  themfolves  difclofe ; 

Where  never-fading  Groves  (jf  fragrant  Fir 

And  beauteous  Pine  perfume  the  ambient  Air ; 


100  OVER   THE  BORDER. 

Tho  air,  at  once,  botli  Health  and  Fragrance  yields, 
Lik(!  fvveet  Ar'ahian  or  Elyfian  Fields. 
Thou  Royal  Settlement !  ho  waflies  Thee  ; 
Thou  Village,  hleft  of  Ileav'n  and  dear  to  me  : 
Nam'd  from  a  pious  .'■'iov'reign,  now  at  Kefl, 
The  Lift  of  Stuart'.s  Li.'ie,  of  Queens  the  heft. 

Aniidft  tho  rural  ^oyv,  the  Town  is  feen, 
Knclofd  with  Woods  and  Hills,  forever  green  : 
The  Streets,  the  ]iuilding!",  Gardens,  all  concert 
To  pleafe  the  Eye,  to  gratify  tho  Heart. 
But  none  of  thefe  fo  i)leafing  or  fo  fair, 
As  thofe  bright  Maidens,  who  inhabit  there. 

Your  i)otent  Charms  fair  Nymphs,  my  verfe  infpire, 
Your  Charms  fupply  the  chafte  poetic  Fire. 
Could  thefe  my  Strains,  but  live,  when  I  'm  no  more, 
On  future  Fame's  bright  "wings,  your  names  Ihould  foar. 

Where  this  romantic  Village  lifts  her  Head, 
Betwixt  the  Royal  Port  and  humble  Mead ; 
The  decent  ]\[anfions,  deck'd  with  mod'rate  coft, 
( )f  honell  Thrift,  and  gen'rous  Owners  boaft ; 
Their  Skill  and  Induftry  their  Sons  employ, 
In  works  of  Peace,  Integrity  and  Joy. 
Their  Lives  in  Social,  harmlefs  Blifs,  they  fpend. 
Then  to  the  Grave,  in  honorVl  Age  defcend. 
The  hoary  Sire  and  aged  Matron  fee 
Their  profp'i  >us  Offfj^-ing  to  the  fourth  Degree  : 
With  Grief  fincere,  the  blooming  oft'fpring  clofe 
Their  Parent's  Eyes,  and  pay  their  Debt  of  Woes ; 
Then  hafte  to  honeft,  joyous  Marriage  Bands, 
A  newborn  Race  is  rear'd  by  careful  Hands  : 
Thro'  n'l'u'rous  Ages  thus  they'll  happy  move 
In  adtive  Burnefs,  and  in  chafteft  Love. 


ANNAPOLIS.  101 

The  Xyniplis  and  Swains  appear  in  Streets  and  Bowers 
As  morning  frofli,  as  lovely  as  the  Flowers. 
As  blight  as  Phoebus,  Kuler  of  the  Day, 
Prudent  as  J 'alias,  antl  as  Flora  gay. 

A  Spire  luajeflic  rears  its  folcnni  Vane, 
Where  Praifes,  Pray'r  and  true  Devotion  reign ; 
Where  Truth  and  Peace  and  Charity  abound, 
Where  God  is  fought,  and  heav'nly  lileflings  found. 
The  gen'rous  Flock  reward  their  Paftor's  care, 
Tiis  Pray'rs,  his  Wants,  his  Happincfs  they  fhare. 
Ketir'd  from  worldly  Cure,  iVom  Noife  and  Strife, 
In  facred  Thoughts  and  J  )eeds,  he  fi)ends  his  Life ; 
To  moMrate  IJounds,  his  Willies  he  coutines, 
All  views  of  Grandeur,  Pow'r  and  Wealth  refigns  ; 
With  I'ornp  and  Pride  can  chearfully  difpenfe 
Dead  to  the  World,  and  empty  Joys  of  Seijfe, 

The  Symphony  of  heav'idy  Song  he  hears, 
Celeftial  Concord  viljrates  on  his  F'ars, 
AVhich  emulates  the  ]\Iufic  of  the  Spheres. 
The  Band  of  active  Youths  and  Virgins  fair, 
Kank'd  in  due  Order,  by  their  Teacher's  Care, 
The  Sight  of  all  Beholders  gratify, 
Sweet  to  the  Soul,  and  pleafing  to  the  Eye. 
But  when  their  Voices  found  in  Songs  of  Praife, 
When  they  to  God's  high  Throne  their  Anthems  raife, 
By  thefe  harmonious  Sounds  fuch  Kapture  's  giv'n, 
Their  loud  Hofannas  Avaft  the  Soul  to  Heav'n : 
The  fourfold  Parts  in  one  bright  Center  meet. 
To  form  the  bleffed  Harmony  complete. 
Lov'd  by  the  Good,  elleemed  by  the  Wife, 
To  gracious  Heav'n,  a  pleafing  flicrifice. 


102  OVER    THE   DOUDEIl. 

Eii(;h  Xot(^,  each  Part,  each  Voico,  oacli  Word  confpire 
T'  inilanio  all  pious  Hearts  Avith  holy  Firo ; 
Each  one  in  Fancy  fcenis  anion},'  the  Throng 
Of  An},'ol8,  chanting  Ileav'n's  eternal  Song, 

Hail  Mufic,  Foretafte  of  celeftial  Joy  ! 
Tluit  always  fatiafts,  yet  canfl  Jiever  cloy  : 
Each  pure,  refinVl,  extatic  I'leafure's  tliino, 
Thou  rapt'rous  Science  !  Harmony  divine  ! 

May  each  kind  Wifh  of  ev'ry  virtuous  Heart 
Be  giv'n  to  all,  who  teach,  or  learn  thine  Art : 
May  all  the  Wife,  and  all  the  (r(jod  unite. 
With  all  the  Habitants  of  Life  and  Light, 
To  treat  the  Sons  of  Mufic  with  llefpecft, 
Their  Progrefs  to  encourage  and  protect!:. 
May  each  Mufician,  and  Mufician's  Friend 
Attain  to  Hymns  divine,  Avhich  never  end." 

l^eino"  a  musical  company,  the  Octave  accept 
this  peroration  without  criticism,  and  do  not 
seem  to  consider  it  an  extravagant  rhapsody, 
tliough  they  are  so  daring  as  to  take  exception 
to  otlier  parts  of  the  queer  okl  poem. 

As  we  have  come  here  for  rest,  we  are  not 
disturbed  at  finding  that  trains,  etc.,  are  not 
always  strictly  "  on  time."  We  are  summoned 
at  7.15  A.M.,  but  breakfast  is  not  served  for 
more  than  an  hour  after ;  we  engage  a  carriage 
for  two  o'clock,  and  perhaps  in  the  neighbor- 


ANNAPOLIS.  103 

liood  of  three  see  it  driving*  up  in  a  leisurely 
manner.  The  people  are  wise,  and  do  not 
wear  themselves  out  with  uiniecessary  rush 
and  hurry,  as  we  do  in  the  States.  The  train 
advertised  to  start  for  Halifax  at  2  p.m.  more 
frecpiently  leaves  at  .'J,  or  3.30 ;  but  tlien  it 
has  to  wait  the  arrival  of  the  steamboat  which, 
four  times  per  week,  comes  across  from  St. 
John.  The  express  train  requires  six  hours 
to  traverse  tlie  miles  intervening  between  this 
quiet  village  and  that  not  nuicli  livelier  town, 
wliile  for  the  accommodation  train  they  allow 
ten  hours ;  but  when  one  comes  to  see  beau- 
tiful country  one  does  not  wish  to  have  the 
breath  taken  away  by  travelling  at  break-neck 
speed. 

We  know  that  some  of  our  party  are  capable 
of  raising  a  breeze,  and  we  are  on  a  gal(e)a 
time  anyhow  ;  still,  this  is  a  remarkably  breez}' 
place,  the  wind  rising  with  the  tide,  so  we  un- 
derstand why  there  are  so  few  flowers  in  tlie 
gardens,  —  the  poor  blossoms  would  soon  be 
torn  to  pieces  ;  but  the  windows  of  the  houses 
generally  are  crowded  with  thriving  plants  gay 


104  OVER   THE  nOIlDEU. 

witli  bloom,  g'iviii'T'  most  clicery  effect  as  one 
strolls  about  the  town. 

In  our  excursion  to  the  15ay  Shore  we  halt  to 
water  the  horses  at  a  neat  little  cottag-e  on  the 
sunnnit  of  the  North  Mountain,  and  even  hero 
the  little  garden  (protected  from  the  winds  b)' 
a  fen(;e)  is  all  aflame  with  a  w^onderful  variety 
of  large  double  and  gorgeous  poppies.  From 
this  point,  also,  we  have  our  first  view  of  the 
wide  Bay,  shimmering  in  the  hazy  sunlight  far 
below,  and  can  faintly  trace  the  rugged  hills  of 
New  Brunswick  in  the  distance. 

Rapidly  descending,  we  follow  the  coast  for 
several  miles,  finally  stopping  at  a  lonely  house 
on  the  rockA'  and  barren  shore,  —  such  a  wild 
spot  as  a  novelist  Avould  choose  to  represent  a 
snuiggler's  retreat ;  but  the  family  would  not 
answ^er  his  purpose  in  that  respect,  for  they  are 
homely  and  hosi)itable,  agreeing  at  once  to  pro- 
vide stabling  for  our  horses  and  to  sell  us  some 
milk  for  our  lunch.  They  drop  their  net-mend- 
ing, come  out  en  masse,  and,  on  learning  that 
some  of  us  are  from  Philadelphia,  greet  us  like 
old  friends,  because   their  eldest   daughter  is 


ANNAPOLIS.  10.') 

living"  in  that  distant  city.  The  host  pitolier 
is  bronght  ont  tor  our  use,  the  whole  establish- 
ment placed  at  our  disposal,  and,  finding'  that 
we  will  be  so  insane  as  to  prefer  to  picnic 
nnder  the  few  straggHng-  j)ines  by  tlie  water 
instead  of  nsing  tlieir  dining-room,  several 
march  ahead  to  show  the  wa}'-  to  the  rocky 
point ;  and  we  form  a  long  and,  of  course, 
imposing-  procession. 

As  we  gaze  along  this  baiTen  and  lonely 
shore,  Octavia  exclaims,  "  Imagine  the  amaze- 
ment of  De  ]\[onts  when  he  sailed  along  tins 
iron-bonnd  coast  and  suddenly  came  upon  that 
wonderful  gateway  wliich  leads  into  the  beau- 
tiful Annapolis  Basin  and  the  fertile,  lovely 
region  beyond  !  "  and  we  all  ag-ree  tliat  it  is 
a  shame  that  the  embouchure  should  now  be 
known  by  the  vulgar  title,  Digby  Gut,  instead 
of  its  old  cognomen,  St.  Georg-e's  Chainiel. 
"  Why  could  n't  they  call  it  the  Gap  or  the 
Gate  ?"  one  exclaims  ;  "  that  would  n't  be  quite 
so  dreadful." 

One  evening  some  of  our  pleasant  acquaint- 
ances in  the  town  come  to  take  ns  to  Lake  La 


10(1  OVER    THE  noUDER. 

Rose,  away  up  on  the  South  Mountain ;  and 
there  we  embark  and  glide  over  tlie  phicid 
water  in  the  nioonliglit,  rousing  the  echoes 
with  song,  and  vainly  endeavoring  to  uproot 
tlie  coy  lilies,  which  abru})tly  slip  through  oui- 
fingers,  and  "bol)"  down  under  the  water  as 
if  enjoying  our  discomfiture.  But  as  Dame 
Nature  tries  her  hand  at  painting  in  water- 
colors,  treating  us  to  a  series  of  dissolving 
views,  the  shower  forces  us  to  hurry  back  to 
the  village  again. 

Before  leaving  this  *'  vale  of  rest,"  we  must 
see  the  widely  extended  panorama  from  the 
Mackenzie  road,  where  hills  beyond  hills  stretch 
away  to  the  horizon,  and  the  lovely  valley 
spreads  itself  like  a  map  below.  The  bird's- 
eye  view  from  Parker's  Mountain  must  also  be 
seen,  and  maijy  other  excursions  accomplished. 
The  old  cannon  of  Lower  Granville  also  is 
"  one  of  the  sights."  This  ancient  piece  of 
ordnance  was  fired  in  old  times  to  notify  the 
quiet  country  folk  when  news  was  received 
from  England.  At  such  times  relays,  seven  to 
ten  miles  apart,  mounted  in  hot  haste  and  car- 


ANNAPOLIS.  107 

riod  the  rneaanj^es  on  until  r)l<il)y  wns  renrliod ; 
and  from  tlionco  a  vessel  conveyed  tlie  news  to 
l^>ston. 

As  we  are  talkino-  of  wW  wo  liave  seen  in  tliis 
I'oo-ion,  and  of  our  various  enjoyments,  Octavia 
exclaims,  "  S<mie  persons  thought  we  could 
not  be  content  here  for  a  week  ;  yet  more  than 
six  have  slii)ped  away,  and  I  'm  sure  I  doil't 
want  to  go  !  I  shall  tell  r.iy  friends  that  though 
we  are  '  remote,'  the  rest  of  the  quotation  does 
not  apply,  for  we  are  neither  *  unfriended,' 
'  melancholy,'  nor  '  slow  ! '  " 

How  often  has  it  been  our  fate,  when  among 
the  mountains  of  New  Hampshire,  to  see  the 
grand  ranges  disappearing  behind  a  thick  cur- 
tain of  smoke,  which,  daily  growing  denser, 
at  last  almost  completely  blots  out  Nature's 
pictures,  so  there  is  no  use  in  undertaking 
excursions  for  the  sake  of  fine  views.  The 
explanation  is  invariably  "  fires  in  the  Canada 
woods ;  "  and  here,  in  this  "  cool,  sequestered 
vale,"  we  have  an  opportunity  of  seeing  forest 
fires  before  we  take  our  departure  for  other 
fields  of  observation.     After  sunset  we  are  ap- 


108  ovKii  THE  iioninni. 

})}ir(Mitly  almost  surrouiulod  by  volcanoes,  as  the 
lurid  Haines  leap  up  into  tho  <l('t'pcnin«jf  black- 
ness of  tli(^  ni<^'lit ;  and  wluni  wo  lovers  of  Xa- 
ture,  distressed  afterwards  by  scein«»-  vast  tracts 
all  scarred  and  desolate,  exclaim,  "  Wby  <lid  n't 
they  stop  it?  Wby  did  tlioy  allow  it?"  ecbo 
answers,  "  Wliv  ?  " 

One  day  wo  learn  tbat  a  mill  on  L'Kqnille 
is  tbreatened,  and  expect  tbat  tbere  will  be 
some  excitement ;  but  a  very  old-fasbioned  fire- 
en<i"ine,  witb  clumsy  band -power  pumps,  ^^-oes 
bunbering-  by,  followed  by  men  and  boys,  wlio 
walk  in  a  leisurely  and  composed  maimer.  Tlie 
mill  is  saved  by  some  means,  bowever;  and  we 
rejoice,  as  it  is,  so  to  speak,  bistorical,  standinj^ 
in  a  place  favored  for  sucb  i)uri)oses  since 
Lescarbot's  time;  even  Ar<)^all  (in  1G13),  wlien 
demolisbing"  otlier  buildings  of  tbe  village,  bav- 
ing  spared  tbe  mill  wliicb  occupied  tbe  site  of 
the  prei  ent  one. 

In  our  various  wanderings  we  visit  tbe  Indian 
settlement  at  tbe  bead  of  this  crooked  stream, 
but  find  its  residents  too  civilized  to  be  very 
picturesque.    We  are  interested  in  learning  what 


ANNAPOLIS.  10(> 

the  ruiiadijin  GovernnicTit  docs  for  their  wclfaro, 
}iii(l  wi.sh  a  yitniljir  policy  coiihl  l»e  iiistitutccl  in 
the  Stutcs.  Here,  as  witli  us,  li(Hior  is  tiicir 
curse,  '^rhe  once  famous  chief  of  the  Micmacs 
Hn'os  sit  Bear  Iviver,  and  is  a(hlicted  to  the  bot- 
tle. One  day  a  younj^'  <»irl,  who  was  a  suninier 
j^'uost  at  this  place,  sat  down  on  an  overturned 
canoe  which  this  chief  (now  known  as  , Fames 
Meuse)  had  just  completed ;  and,  as  the  bark 
bent  with  her  weight,  the  wily  Inchan  pretencU'd 
that  th(^  boat  was  irretrievably  ruined.  'I'he 
girl's  father,  asking  what  amount  would  com- 
pensate for  the  damage,  received  reply,  "  Ten, 
twenty,  dollar;"  and  receiving  thirty  dollars 
from  the  generous  stranger,  Redskin  remarked 
afterwards  that  he  "  wished  more  girl  come  sit 
on  boat,"  and  probal'ly  turned  the  money  into 
liquid  fire,  and  poured  it  down  his  throat  in  a 
short  space  of  time.  As  there  is  a  heavy  fine 
for  selling  liquor  to  Indians,  one  of  that  race 
will  never  divulge  from  whom  he  has  received 
it,  however  intoxicated  he  may  be. 

Another  Indian  sachem  noted  in  history  — 
Membertou  —  lived  to  the  age  of  one  hundred 


110  ovi-ii  riiK  nouDKn. 

and  four,  and  was  biiiiiMl  at  Annapoli.s,  then 
Port  Uoyal,  with  military  lionors,  as  liotitteil 
the  ('onij)anion  of  sohlicrs.  At  L*outrin<'ourt's 
tabic  he  was  a  daily  and  honored  oufst  in  that 
olden  time,  and,  when  the  "Order  d'  Happy 
Times"  was  instituted  there,  of  course  beennui 
a  iHciiihcr  too!  Query:  Did  that  aneient  con- 
vivial society  offer  sug^^estions  to  the  famous 
old  "State  in  KSchuylki'u  Club"  of  IMiiladelphia 
when  they  were  organizing  so  many  years 
after  ? 


1 )  1  G  H  Y. 


DIGBY. 

Tn  tlio  drive  to  T)if»-l)y,  twonty-one  milos,  we 
pass  {iloiiji"  all  tlie  ins  and  outs  of*  tlio  sliore  of 
Auiia])olis  ]3asin,  findin^j"  tlu;  .succession  of  views 
on  tliat  curiously  land-locked  liarhor  a  perfect 
study  and  delij^lit,  and  more  })ictur(\s(pie  tlian 
on  tlie  trip  to  tlie  same  place  Ijy  steamer,  as  we 
discover  later. 

There  we  see  a  ])ri<>lit-eyed,  ])retty  little 
maiden,  who  wears  a  g-ay  red  handkerchief  in 
place  of  a  hat,  and  makes  a  i)icture  as  she 
drives  her  cow  over  a  hit  of  mooi-land.  Driver 
says  she  is  "on(i  of  the  P^rench  peojde,"  and 
that  her  name  is  Thihaudia,  which,  with  its 
English  signification  (a  kind  of  heath),  seems 
appropriate  for  one  living*  in  the  wilds,  and 
deliciously  foreij^n  and  suf^-g-estive.  We  won- 
der if  old  (.^•uni])lehorn  understands  TVench, 
and  conclude  that  she  is  a  well-e<lucated  ani- 
mal, as  she  seems  to  obey  directions  without 


114  OVER    TUB  BORDER. 

needing'  a  touch  of  willow-brancli  to  punctuate 
them. 

Sometimes  it  seoms  that  the  names  conferred 
On  mortals  at  haptism  in  this  (j^neer  world 

Seem  given  for  nanght  bnt  to  spite  'em. 
Mr.  Long  is  short,  Mr.  Short  is  tall, 
And  who  so  meek  as  Mr.  ^laul  l 
Mr.  Lamb's  fierce  tem[)er  is  very  well  known, 
Mr.  Hope  plods  abont  M'ith  sigh  and  groan,  — 

"  And  so  proceed  ad  infinitum." 

At  one  i^oint  on  our  route,  wlien  we  are 
passing-  through  a  h)nely  and  apparently  unin- 
habited region,  our  jolly  driver,  "  IManynl," 
remarks,  "  Here 's  where  Nobody  lives  ;  "  and 
one  replies,  "  Yes,  evidently  ;  and  I  should  n't 
think  any  one  would  wish  to."  But  a  turn  of 
the  road  brings  a  house  in  sight ;  and  driver 
says,  "  That  'a  his  house,  and  his  name  is  ac- 
tually Nobody  "  (Charles,  I  believe).  We  quote, 
"  What 's  in  a  name  I  "  and  conclude  that  if  he 
is  at  all  like  the  kindly  people  of  this  region 
whom  we  have  met  he  may  be  well  content  to 
be  nobody,  rather  than  resjmble  many  whom 
the  world  considers  "  somebodies,"  but  who  are 
not  models  in  any  respect. 


DJGBY.  115 

Our  driver  is  quite  a  character  in  liis  way, 
and  ill  tlio  winter  he  "  ^j-oes  a  k)g'g'in'."  On 
learning  this  we  ply  him  with  questions  in 
such  manner  as  would  surprise  a  lawyer,  elicit- 
ing- in  return  gra})hic  pictures  of  camp-life  in 
New  Brunswick  wildernesses,  and  the  amuse- 
ments with  which  they  while  away  the  long 
evenings  in  their  rough  barracks.  He  describes 
their  primitive  modes  of  cooking,  their  beds  of 
fragrant  spruce  boughs  overlaid  with  straw,  — 
''  Better  'n  any  o'  your  spring  mattresses,  I  tell 
you  !  "  —  the  queer  box-like  bunks  along  the 
wall  where  they  "stow  themselves  awtiy,"  and 
where  the  most  active  and  useful  man  is,  for 
the  time  at  least,  literally  laid  on  the  shelf. 

Octavius,  thinking  how  much  he  would  enjoy 
"roughing  it "  thus,  asks  what  they  would  charge 
to  take  a  young  man  to  board  in  camp ;  and 
driver  indignantly  readies,  "  NotMu^!  Do  you 
suppose  we  'd  charge  board  ?  No,  indeed !  Just 
let  him  come ;  and  if  we  did  n't  give  him  a  good 
time,  and  if  he  didn't  get  strong  and  heaj^-ty, 
then  we  'd  be  ashamed  of  ourselves  and  sell  oid^ 

Here  we  approach  a  cove  which  driver  calls 


116  OV^ER   THE  BORDER. 

the  Jogg-in  (us  it  makes  a  cut  or  jog'-in,  we  pre- 
sume) ;  and  beyond,  a  wide  arm  of  the  Basin  is 
spanned  by  a  rickety  old  bridg-e,  at  least  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  long",  named  in  honor  of  her 
Majesty,  —  hardly  a  compliment  to  that  sover- 
eign, we  think.  The  boards  are  apparently  laid 
down  without  nails,  and  rattle  like  a  fusillade 
as  our  vehicle  rolls  over  them.  Here  and  there 
planks  are  broken  or  gone  entirely,  showing 
the  green  swirling  water  beneath.  Our  chaper- 
one,  having  more  faith  in  her  own  feet  than 
those  of  the  horses,  dismounts  and  walks  across  ; 
while  we,  being  naturally  reckless  and  romantic, 
are  willing  to  risk  our  necks  for  the  sake  of  the 
charmn.g  views. 

The  village  of  Digby  stretches  along  the 
shore,  and  from  the  hills  surrounding  it  the 
Basin  with  its  islands,  the  Gap,  and  Annapolis 
River,  are  charming. 

Disciples  of  old  "  Izaak  "  would  be  likely  to 
meet  with  greater  success  here  than  at  Annap- 
olis ;  as  the  current  of  the  river  at  the  latter 
place  is  so  strong  that,  as  a  general  thing,  only 
the   "  old  salts "  are  anglers ;  and  they  being 


DIG  BY.  117 

most  of  the  time  out  in  the  Bay  or  off  on 
cruises,  it  follows  that  lish  are  scarce  in  the 
market. 

An  ** ancient  an(  fish-like  smell"  pervades 
the  atmos[)here  in  some  parts  of  the  villa <iO 
where  the  herring*  —  humorously  known  as 
"  Digby  Chickens  "  —  are  spread  on  racks  to 
dry  ;  but  this  odor,  the  odd  little  shops  and 
restaurants,  the  clumsy  and  queer  lumber- 
boats,  the  groups  of  tars  gossiping  about  door- 
ways and  wharves,  only  add  to  the  nautical 
character  of  the  place,  and  suggest  reminis- 
cences of  "  Peggoty,"  "  Ham,"  and  others  of 
Dickens's  characters. 

We  ignore  the  pleasant  embowered  hotel 
'Mn  bosky  dell,"  far  up  the  street  this  time, 
though  we  visit  it  in  a  later  sojourn;  and,  ''just 
for  the  fun  of  it,"  take  limch  in  one  of  the 
peculiar  little  restaurants ;  wdiere,  seated  at  a 
minute  table  in  one  of  the  tiny  calico-curtained 
alcoves,  we  partake  of  our  frugal  repast  (the 
bill  of  fare  is  extremely  limited),  amusing  our- 
selves watching  the  odd  customers  who  come 
to  make  purchases  at  the  counter  across  the 


118  OVER    THE  BORDER. 

room,  and  "injiking  believe"  that  we  are  char- 
acters in  an  okl  EngHsh  story. 

On  the  hhiff  beyond  the  viUage,  beneath 
great  old  Balm  of  Gilead  trees  Avhose  foliage  is 
l)er2)etually  in  a  flutter  from  the  breeze  through 
the  Gji|),  there  are  several  cannon,  which  it 
seems  could  not  possibly  have  any  hostile 
intent,  but  a])i)ear  to  be  gratifying  a  mild  curi- 
osity by  peering  across  the  Basin  and  np  the 
river  beyond. 

The  lon;r  and  very  liigh  pier  stretches  far 
out  into  the  Basin,  and  upon  it  picturesque 
groups  unconsciously  pose  for  us,  adding  to 
the  effect  of  the  picture. 

That  the  climate  is  salubrious  and  conducive 
to  longevi+v  we  are  convinced  after  visiting  the 
cemetery,  where  one  tomb  records  the  demise 
of  a  man  jit  the  age  of  one  hundred  and  two ! 

A  peculiar  taste  for  wandering  among  the 
tombs  we  have  acquired  in  this  sunnner  jaunt. 
Here  we  see  the  tomb  of  one  recorded  proudly 
as  ''descended  from  the  noble  families  of  Stuart 
and  Bruce,"  who,  tradition  says,  was  supposed 
to  have  held  the  position  of  servant  to  said 


DIG  BY.  Ill) 

scions  of  nobility.  Ono  who  was  known  as  a 
scofter  (luring  life  hero  is  virtuously  represented 
as  "  a  sineere  worshipper  of  Eternal,  Almighty 
and  ever  just  God;"  reminding  us  of  the  i)opu- 
lar  adage,  "lying  like  an  epitapli."  Twice 
have  we.  seen  one  sitono  made  to  do  service 
for  two  in  an  amusing  manner :  on  the  u})per 
part  the  usual,  "  Sacred  to  the  memory  of," 
etc. ;  then  half-way  down  had  been  carved  a 
hand  pointing  to  one  side,  and  under  it  the 
words  "There  lies;"  while  the  name,  age,  etc., 
of  the  later  decedent  was  inscribed  below  the 
first. 

One  old  tomb  we  were  with  this  epitaph :  — 

"  Tho'  gready  worm  destroy  my  'iV'u 
And  giuiw  my  wasting  flosli 
When  God  doth  build  my  bones  ageu 
He'll  cloath  tliem  all  afresh." 

and  another:  — 

"  What  says  tho  silent  dead 
He  bids  me  bear  my  load 
Witli  silent  .steps  proceed 
And  follow  him  to  God," 

We  notice  that  the  English  rule  of  the  road 
maintains  here,  and  our  driver  turns  to  the  left 


120  OVER    THE  BORDER. 

wlien  other  veliicles  .are  approaclihif^.  Captain 
C,  wlio  is  from  the  States,  tells  us  that  ho  did 
nut  know  of  this  custom,  and  in  his  first 
drive  nearly  collided  with  another  vehicle,  the 
driver  of  which  thereupon  used  strong"  lan- 
g'uu'^'e.  On  beiug  informed  that  he  had  almost 
overturned  the  conveyance  of  the  Governor 
of  Prince  Edward's  Island,  the  rash  Yankee, 
luidismayed,  remarked,  "  Well,  I  don't  care 
who  he  is,  he  don't  know  how  to  drive ! " 


HALIFAX. 


HALIFAX. 

Or  course,  as  wo  are  in  the  nei«j;liborliood, 
we  must  see  tlie  locality  to  which  —  in  mild 
and  humorous  profanity  —  States  peoi)le  are 
sometimes  assif^ned ;  and  therefore  proceed  to 
Halifax  and  thorou^^lily  '*  do "  that  sedate, 
quiet,  and  doli<4htfnlly  old-fashioned  city. 

Un  route,  as  tlie  train  j)asses  beyond  Wind- 
sor, one  says,  "  Here  we  are  out  of  sight  of 
land ; "  and  we  then  imderstand  that  it  must 
have  been  some  one  from  this  locality  who 
christened  the  valley  of  Annapolis  the  Garden 
of  Nova  Scotia ;  for  here  a  scene  of  utter 
sterility  and  desolation  meets  the  view  :  not  a 
foot  of  earth  is  to  be  seen,  but  rocks  are  piled 
in  wild  confusion  everywhere.  A  few  dead 
trees  stand  among  the  debris,  emphasizing  the 
loneliness  ;  and  Conductor  says  when  the  world 
was  created  the  "  leavings "  were  deposited  in 
this  dreary  tract. 


124  nyi:n  the  nouDEit. 

Hy  8))ec'iiil  unjui<ionioiit  with  "  Old  Prob," 
there  are  none  of  the  prevaiUnj^  to<(s  chiriiin- 
(nir  sta}';  aiul  Aurora  li<»reahs  o-c-ts  up  a  spe- 
cial illimiination.  Ite^iinents  of  red-coats,  with 
torches  and  band,  —  aware  doul)tless  of  the 
presence  of  such  distinj^uished  stran«;('rs,  — 
Hiarcli  })ast  our  hotel   in  the  eveninjj;'. 

Thou<;h  we  are  cpmrtered  in  what  is  cidled 
the  best  hotel,  it  is  a  musty,  fusty,  rust}'  old 
building";  and  we  a«^reo  with  our  friends  anion<^ 
the  residents  (who  vie  with  each  other  in  show- 
in*^  us  true  English  hos|)itahty)  wlio  say  they 
need  an  enterprisino-  Yankee  to  start  a  good 
new  hostehy,  and  "  to  show  'em  how  to 
run  it." 

Just  at  this  time  of  year  the  city  is  full  of 
summer  tourists,  many  of  whom  come  direct 
from  Baltimore  by  the  ocean  steamships,  which 
touch  at  this  port ;  but,  as  we  are  subject  to 
mal-de-mer's  lortui'es,  we  rejoice  that  we  came 
by  *' overland  route." 

Thoug-h  our  friends  have  engaged  ro<^ms  for 
us  beforehand,  we  are  fortunate  in  securing 
apartments  on  the  fourth  floor,  where  peculiar 


If  Air  FAX.  126 

viAU  of  ropo  l)y  tlu^  windows  at  onco  uttmct 
our  attention.  TIicmc,  on  cxaminntion,  wo  find 
have  l»i;x  wooden  lu'ads  (like  tlio  floats  of  a 
Hoiiio)  strnnji'  on  tlicni  at  r't^nilar  intervals;  and 
tins  peculiar  iirranjjj-ement  is  a  primitive  fire- 
escape,  wliicdi  w(<  ar(^  positives  that  no  creature 
hut  a  monkey  could  use  with  safety. 

The  prevailinj^-  fo«(s,  and  the  use  of  soft  coal, 
ciiuse  the  l)uildin«»'s  to  appear  din^y  and  rusty; 
hut  we  like  them  all  the  better  for  that,  as 
the  city  has  a  more  foreif»'n  air,  and,  in  some 
parts,   (piite  stronj^-ly  sujjcn^ests  Glasg-ow. 

In  the  I'arlianient  buildin;^-  we  study  the  old 
portraits,  concluding  that  the  wife's  nuist  have 
l)een  uncomfortable.  Octavius  wickedly  hints 
that  there  is  a  fashion  amon<^  ladies  of  the 
present  time  ! — but  as  he  does  not  tread  on  our 
toes,  we  ignore  this  insinuation,  and  turn  our 
attention  to  the  ehiborate  ornamentation  of  the 
wood- work  —  wliich  is  all  antique  hand-carv- 
ing—  in  the  council  chambers;  and  are  much 
interested  in  some  rare  old  books  in  the  Li- 
brary, —  among  them  a  copy  of  the  Psalms, 
three  hundred   years   old ;    and  another,  with 


126  OVER    THE  BORDER. 

music,  dtitod  1G12.  Here  also  we  see  and  are 
actually  allowed  to  handle  a  book,  — 

"  I'lUvSENTED 

TO 

THE   LEGISLATIVE  LIBRARY 

OF 

Nova  8cotia 
in  memouy  op  iieu  giieat  and  good  husband 

BY 
HIS    BKOKEN-IIEARTEO    WIDOW 

VICTORIA  R" 

and  of  course  are  duly  overpowered  at  be- 
lioldin<]^  the  valuable  autograph  of  that  sov- 
ereign. 

In  one  of  the  churches  we  are  informed  that 
a  certain  balustrade  "  is  from  America,  and  is 
all  marvel,''''  but  do  not  find  it  marvellously 
beautiful  nevertheless. 

Of  the  gardens  the  natives  are  justly  proud, 
as  in  this  moist  atmosphere  jilants,  trees,  and 
flowers  flourish  remarkably ;  still,  we  are  not 
willing  to  concede  that  they  are  ''  the  finest  in 
America,"  as  we  have  been  told. 

We  conclude,  as  we  pass  the  large  Admiralty 
House,  with  its  spacious  and  beautiful  grounds. 


HALIFAX.  127 

tliiit  Sir  Soniebody  Something  must  find  it  a, 
comfortable  thing-  to  be 

"  monarch  of  tlio  soa,  the  ruler  of  the  Queen's  navee," 

and  may  with  reason  say,  — 

"  When  at  anchor  hero  1  ride,  my  bosom  swells  with  pride," 

while  Halifax  lierself,  with  her  famous  harbor, 
in  which  the  navy  of  a  great  and  powerful 
nation  could  find  safe  anchorage,  with  room  to 
s|)are,  might  justly  finish  out  his  song  with  the 
appropriate  words  concluding  the  verse :  — 

"And  I  snap  my  fingers  at  a  foeman's  taunts !" 

Then  the  Citadel,  the  very  name  of  which 
revives  reminiscences  of  Quebec,  and  suggests 
something  out  of  tlie  every-day  order  of  sum- 
mer jaunts.  As  we  ascend  the  hill  to  the  for- 
tress, the  first  thing  attracting  our  attention  is 
amusing.  The  ''squatty"  looking  clock-tower, 
which  appears  as  if  part  of  a  church  spire, 
had  been  carried  away  by  a  high  wind  and 
dropped  down  on  this  embankment.  Octavius 
says,   ''  What  a  jolly  place  for  coasting,  if  it 


128  OVER    THE  BORDER. 

were  not  for  the  liJilillity  of  being*  plunged  into 
the  harbor  at  the  foot !  "  as  we  mount  the  hill. 
At  the  g"ate  we  are  consigiied  to  tlie  care  of  a 
tall  soldier,  wliose  round  fatigue  cap  nnist  be 
f/lxcd  to  his  head,  or  it  certainly  would  fall  ofl', 
so  extreme  is  the  angle  at  which  it  inclines 
over  his  ear.  A  company  of  soldiers  are  drill- 
ing within  the  enclosure,  their  scarlet  coats  quite 
dazzling  in  the  briglit  sunlight  and  in  contrast 
with  the  cold  gray  granite  ;  while  others,  at  op- 
posite angles  of  the  wjiUs,  are  practising  signals 
with  flags,  the  manoeuvres  of  the  latter  being 
quite  entertaining  as  they  wave  the  banners, 
now  slowly,  now  rapidly,  diagonally,  vertically, 
horizontally,  or  frantically  overhead,  as  if  sud- 
denly distraught.  Probably  this  exercise  could 
be  seen  in  any  of  our  forts  ;  but  as  we  are  now 
beyond  the  borders  of  the  United  States,  every 
detail  interests  us,  and  we  have  become  aston- 
isliingly  observant.  The  gloomy  and  massive 
bomb-proof  walls  of  the  soldiers'  quarters  appear 
quite  prison-like,  Avith  their  narrow  windows  ; 
and  our  guide,  speaking  of  the  monotony  of 
garrison  life,  rejoices  that  in  a  few  months  his 


'i'V. 


M"'' 


128  uVEli    THE  BOUUEll. 

w.Tij  not  for  the  liabilily  oi  U.  iiig  piui]o-e<l  into 
the  harbor  at  tlie  lV>ot !  '*  as  w«  mount  th(3  liill. 
At  tin.  gate  wo  are  (N.)nsiy;n«j(l  to  the  caro  ol'  a 
tall  soldier,  whoso  round  tacig-uo  cnp  must  bo 
Ijimd  to  his  Iioad,  or  ii  >  ly  would  fall  olT, 

so  extreme   i^   tit.-   n^K-'  \vhl(h  it   inrlijies 

over  his  ear.       >  of  soldiers  m*e  drill- 

inn:  within  tlie  cc  m  >  liieir  scarlet  coats  quite 

(hi/C'zlin;i-  in  tht"  i-ii^Ui  surdin;lit  and  in  contrast 
with  th<  «'old  gr^y  g'r.\nite  ;  while  othersi,  at  op- 
posite angle.s  «'J  the  walls,  are  practising'  signals 
with  tlnfirs,  tliH  manoeuvres  of  tlie  latter  beini^ 
quite   onti  y\'j;  as  tla^y  wave   the  barn'K^rH, 

now  sloAN  i  ..ipidly,  diagonally,  vertically, 

honzoni'au  .  ■'•onticallv  overhead,  a^i  if  snd- 
denU"  distranj  ^*'-  'Inibly  this  exercise  could 

be  seen  in  any  "i  <  v.i  -rts  •,  but.  as  we  are  now 
beyond  the  borders  o'  L'iute<l  Snvtes,  every 

detail  interests  us,  and  we  have  become  aston- 
isiiingly  observant.  Tho  gloomy  and  massive 
bomb-]»rooi  wrdls  of  the  soldiers' quarters  appear 
quite  prison-like,  with  their  nan-ow  windows ; 
•viid  uiir  guide,  speaking  of  tlie  monotony  of 
garnson  life,  rejoice«<  that  in  n  few  months  his 


II A  UFA  X.  129 

term  of  service  will  expire,  and  then  ho  "will 
g-o  to  the  States." 

"  The  States  "  seem  to  be  a  Land  of  Promise 
to  many  people  of  this  region;  and,  thong-li 
this  is  gratifying-  to  onr  national  })ri(le,  we  can- 
not Init  see  that  many  make  a  mistake  in  going* 
to  "  Am(3rica  ;  "  as,  for  instance,  the  young  girls 
of  Annapolis,  who,  leaving  comfortable  homes, 
hie  away  to  Boston,  where,  if  they  can  get 
positions  in  an  already  crowded  field,  they 
wear  themselves  out  in  factories ;  or,  having  a 
false  pride  which  prevents  them  from  acknowl- 
edging failure  and  returning  home,  they  remain 
until,  broken  down  by  discouragement  and  dis- 
appointment, compelled  to  accept  charity.  On 
this  account  the  service  at  Annapolis  is  not 
what  might  be  desired;  and  Octavius  humor- 
ously wonders,  when  the  "green  hand"  per- 
sistently offers  him  viands  from  the  wrong  side, 
"how  he  is  expected  to  reach  the  plate  unless 
he  puts  his  arm  around  her.'^ 

"  But  we  digress."  As  our  party,  with  other 
sight- seers  who  have  joined  the  procession, 
promenade   about   the   fort,   a   culprit   in   the 


130  OVER    THE  nollDER. 

guiivd-rooni  c.'itchos  si<^'ht  of  tlio  visitors  as 
tliey  pass,  Jind,  evidently  for  their  lieariiig, 
sing's  iiiischievoiislv,  — 

"  Fare  well,  luy  own  I 

Lij^flit  (if  my  lifi",  farewell! 
For  criiJic  unknown 

I  go  to  a  dunj,'('on  cell." 

We  conclude,  as  lie  is  so  musical  about  it, 
that  he  does  not  feel  very  much  disgraced  or 
oppressed  by  his  imprisonment,  though  some 
one  curiously  inquiring*  *'  why  he  is  there," 
learns  that  it  is  for  a  trifling  misdemeanor, 
and  that  ])unishments  are  not  generally  severe ; 
though  the  guide  tells  of  one  soldier  who,  he 
says,  *'  threw  his  cap  at  the  Colonel,  and  got 
five  years  for  it ;  and  we  thought  he  'd  get  ten." 

From  the  ramparts  the  picture  extending  be- 
fore lis  southeastwardly  is  very  fine  indeed,  as, 
over  the  rusty  houses  shouldering  each  other 
lip  the  hill  so  that  we  can  almost  look  down 
tlie  clu'mneys,  we  look  out  to  the  fortified  islands 
and  points,  with  the  ocean  beyond. 

Point  Pleasant,  thickly  wooded  to  the  water's 
edge,  hides  the  strangely  beautiful  inlet  from 


HALIFAX.  131 

tlie  harbor  known  as  tlio  Nortli  West  Ann, 
wliicli  cuts  into  tlio  Ijind  tor  m  distance  of  fonr 
miles  (lialf  a  mile  in  width),  snj^'-f^'estino-  a  Nor- 
we<»'ian  fiord  ;  hnt  that,  and  the  coinitry  all 
abont  the  city,  W(i  ^'>lj<>}'  hi  a  lon<>-  drive  later. 
On  the  retnrn,  re<»'ar(lless  of  the  ^aze  of 
passengers  astonisluKl  at  onr  nnconventional 
actions,  we  sit  on  the  platform  of  the  rear 
car,   while 

"  riwisiintly  gleams  in  the  soft,  sweet  iiir  tlie  Basin  of  Minus," 

and  the  model  conductor  plies  us  with  bits  of 
information,  wliich  we  devour  with  the  avidity 
of  cornioranta. 


GKAND    PliJi 


GRAND    PUK. 

Finally  the  brakcnuin  shouts  *'  Grand  Prce  ; " 
and  Octavia  roninrkH,  *'  Yes,  indeed,  this  is  the 
f/rand  priv  of  our  tour,"  as  the  party  step  off'  the 
train  at  this  re^iion  of  romance.  ^J'lie  ^ijilhuit 
eonchu'tor,  with  an  air  of  mystery,  leads  the 
way  to  a  storaji-e-rooni  in  tlie  little  l)ox  of  a 
station,  and  there  chops  pieces  from  a  clay- 
covered  plaids:  and  presents  us  as  souvenirs. 
"Pieces  of  a  coiHn  of  one  of  the  Acadians, 
exhumed  at  Grand  Pre  fgurteen  months  ago, 
near  the  site  of  the  old  church,"  we  are  told ; 
and  when  he  continues :  "A  woman's  bone 
was  found  in  it,"  one  unromantic  and  mntter-of- 
fact  mend)er  of  the  Octave  asserts,  "  Evang-e- 
line's  grandmother,  of  course ; "  while  another 
sce})tically  remarks,  "That's  more  than  /  can 
swallow ;  it  would  give  me  such  a  si)ell 
o' coug'liin'  as  I  couldn't  get  over;"  but  the 
conductor    and    others    stanchly    avouch    the 


186  ovicii  THE  lion  Die  It. 

frcniiiruiiOHS  of  tlw*  nrticlo,  M.flinMinf''  tliat  tlicy 
wc*r(3  prcsc.Mit  ''  vvli(;ii  it  wuh  dii;^-  up." 

TIk;  "  f'oroHt  priniovul,"  if  It  ()v<;r  stood  in 
this  n  ,^ioii,  iiiiist  li;i,vo  clotlKid  tlio  distniit  liills 
wliicJi  Ixdind  tli(^  vjist  jii(;}ido\v,  jind  now  Jin; 
<'OV(!r(rd  witli  ;i,  denser  ;^ro\vtli  ol"  small  trees 
vvliicli  ;iro  not  "  iniinmiriii^'  ))in(\s." 

A  sii|)<'ranjiu;i,t(.'(l  ti'ci;  in  tlio  disluncr;  it  is 
said  on('(;  sIi;uI(m1  tlio  sinitliy  of  ''  Hasil  I.jijcu- 
iiessc,"  tliat  "  nii;j;lity  ni;i,n  of  tin;  vi]lii^;(^ ;  "  and 
only  stony  hollows  in  th(!  <^i'(>iind  nuii'k  tlu;  site 
of  tin;  house  of  "Father  I''elic,iaii "  and  tin; 
vill;i^(!  chm-fdi. 

It  was  to  this  sp(»t,  th(^n,  th;i,t  th(;  wond(M"iny- 
2)easaiits  wei'e  lured  by  Htr.itagein,  when, — 

"witli  a  .suiiiiiioiiH  KojioroiiH 

Soiunlit'l   111';  lii'll  IVoiii    it,.^  t,(,w(  T,  and   rivcr  LIkj  iiiijadoWH  ii 
•  liiiiii  lif-at. 

1"hroiif,'<!il  c.n;  l()ii|^  was  tlirj  clmrch   with  jii<;ii,      VVilliout  in 

tin;  clmrcliyanl, 
Waitod  the  wonxn.     Tlu-y  Htood  by  tin;  gravoH,  and  liiinj^  on 

tilt!  li(!ad-Hl>(j|ion 
Gurlands  of  autiunn-lwivoH  and   «)V('.rf^rf!*!nH   fn'sli    fnau  tlm 

fonwt. 
Then  cain<;  th<!  ^uard  from  the  .shijiH,  and  marching  proudly 

amuiig  them 


(J  RAM)   I 'UK.  107 

EiitfTfil  tli(!  H!if;rf!<l  porlal.     Willi  loiii]  ;uii]  dis.snn.'int,  cliin;,'or 
Iv'liocil    t'i(!    rirmiiil    (iT   their   l)iii/i;ii    ilniiiis    I'roiii    niliu;^    to 

CIlrii'llH'Ilt, 

K(;li(M:i|  ii  iiioriii'iit  only,  uinl  sl'.wly  tlie  |m)Ii<|im>>ii:s  port.tl 
Clow.d,   ;uiil    in    hIIoiico  tin;  crowd  .'iwuitcil    the    will   ol'  tlio 
Holdicrs," 

Ai'U-.v  r(;fr(;,sliiii«^  oiirs('lv(;s  with  j)in-(;,  clcnr, 
{uid  cold  vv;it,(!r  fVoni  tin;  old  well,  —  iiuulo  by 
tli(!  l'V«;iicli,  ;iiid  rowidlcMJ  ;i,  fow  y<;;il'S  Ji^'o, 
—  w(!  turn  Jivvny,  vvitJi  "a,  loiijiin;^-,  liii^^iU'in;^- 
l(»ok  Ixiliiiid,"  and  coiitinuf;  our  drive  tliroii;^li 
tluj  };r<^jit  pniiru;,  wliicli  r<;s(;jn))l<;.s  iIm;  loitih; 
riKiJidovv-hind  ;don<»-  iImj  ( 'onncicticiit  lilvcr. 
W(}  stoj)  a  f(^\v  nioirwints  near  ;i  pic.tiircsqiK; 
little  chui'ch  of  {4'''''y  unpainlcd  wood,  and  look 
off  over  tli(;  V(U'daiit  fi(dds  to  tli(!  point  where;  a 
distant  sliinnuei'  of  wa,t<*r  catcilKiH  the  e'-e.  and 
tli(;  liills  bound  the  picture;.  Near  at  hand, 
on  th<!  ri^ht,  tluj  tiunk  of"  an  a^^cd  apj)le-tre(;, 
"  planted  by  the  Fi"<!n<'h,"  shows  oik;  j^-n.-en 
shoot;  and  about  the  church  an3  JiOnd)ardy 
poplars,  which,  thouj^h  <^ood-si/ed  treats,  an? 
j)erliaps  only  shoots  from  tlios<;  planted  by  the 
Acadian;',  in  r(;ni(unbranc(;  ol  such  ai'b(»real 
j^r(;nadi(n"s  of  their  native;   la.nd. 


138  OVER    THE   BORDER. 

The  old  French  dike  is  surmounted  by  a 
roug-li  rail  fence,  and  is  now  far  inland,  as  hun- 
dreds of  acres  have  been  reclaimed  beyond, — 

"  Dikes  that  the  hands  of  the  farmers  had  raised  with  labor 

incessant 
Shut  out  the  turbulent  tides." 

Our  lamented  American  jioet  never  visited 
this  region  Avhicli  he  describes  so  delightfully ; 
his  reason  being  that,  cherishing  an  idenl  ])ic- 
ture,  he  feared  reality  mig-ht  dissipate  it.  Yet 
an  easy  journey  of  twenty-eight  hours  would 
have  brought  him  hither ;  and  we,  feeling  con- 
fident that  he  could  not  have  been  disap- 
pointed, shall  always  regret  that  he  did  not 
come. 

As  an  appropriate  close  to  this  sentimental 
journey,  we  drive  through  the  secluded  Gas- 
pereau  valley,  along  the  winding  river,  which 
is  hardly  more  than  a  creek,  toward  its  wider 
part  where  it  flows  into  the  Basin,  which 
stretches  out  broad  and  shining.  With  such  a 
view  before  us,  we  cannot  fail  to  picture  men- 
tally the  tragic  scenes  of  that  October  day  in 


GRAND  PRE.  139 

17r)r),  when  tlie  fleet  of  great  slii^)^  lay  in  the 
Basin,  and 

"  When  on  the  falling  tick;  the  freighted  vessels  departed, 
Hearing  a  nation,  with  all  its  liuusehold  gods,  into  exile, 
Exile  without  an  end,  and  without  an  example  in  story;" 

tlioso  wliom  Bnrke  describes  as  "the  poor, 
innocent,  deserving  people,  whom  our  utter  ina- 
bilit}"  to  govern  or  reconcile,  gave  us  no  sort 
of  riglit  to  extirpate,"  were  torn  ironi  their 
happy  homes,  and 

"  Scattered  like  dust  and  leaves,  when  the  mighty  blasts  of 
October 
Seize  them,  and  wliirl  tliera  aloft,  and  sprinkle  them  far 
o'er  the  ocean." 

In  tlie  midst  of  these  peaceful  scenes  was  per- 
petrated a  cruel  wrong,  and  an  inoffensive 
])eople  banished  by  the  mandate  of  a  tyrant ! 

In  that  beautiful  poem,  parts  of  which  one 
unconsciously  "gets  by  heart,"  or  falls  into  tlie 
hal)it  of  quoting  when  sojourning  in  this  lovely 
region,  Basil  the  blacksmith  says :  — 

"  Louisburg   is    not    forgotten,    iior    Beau-Sejour   nor   Port 
lioyalj" 


1-10  OVER    THE  BORDER. 

and  having-  held  an  impromptu  history  class  on 
the  subject  of  the  last  mentioned,  we  turn  our 
attention  to  the  other  fortified  points  of  which 
"the  hnsty  and  somewhat  irascible"  sledge- 
wielder  spoke. 

By  the  treaty  of  Utrecht  in  1713  Acadia 
was  ceded  to  the  Eng-lish ;  but  the  French 
colonists,  in  taking*  the  oath  of  allegiance  to 
their  new  rulers  (1727-28),  were  promised  that 
they  should  n(^t  be  required  at  any  time  to  take 
up  arms  ag-ainst  France.  Tliey  were  now  in 
the  position  of  Neutrals,  and  by  that  name 
were  known ;  but  this  placed  them  in  an  awk- 
ward jn'edicament,  as  they  were  suspected  by 
both  contending"  powers.  Tlie  English  hated 
them,  believing-  their  sympathies  to  be  with 
the  French;  while  even  their  c  antrymen  in 
Canada  were  distrustful  of  them,  urging  them 
to  withdraw. 

The  English  colonists,  fearing  the  extension 
of  the  French  possessions,  and  having  Puritan- 
ical aversion  of  Roman  Catholicism,  —  of  which 
the  Neutrals  were  devout  adherents,  —  entered 
U23on  the  expedition  against  the  French  forts 


aUAND  PRE.  141 

witli  tlio  zeal  of  fanatics,  seeniing'  in  some  in- 
stances to  consider  tlieir  incursions  in  the  lii>ht 
of  reliiiious  crusades. 

These  "  men  wliose  lives  g-lided  on  like  rivers 
tliat  water  tlie  woodlands,"  whose  descendants 
are  to  this  day  childlike  and  simple-liearted, 
could  not  understand  these  political  distinc- 
tions, and  naturall)^  clung*  to  the  })leasant 
farms  which  tliev  had  reclaimed  from  the  sea 
and  cultivated  so  diligontly,  being"  most  reluct- 
ant, of  course,  to  leavcj  those 

"  Strongly  built  houses,  "with  frames  of  oak  and  of  chestnut, 
Such  as  the  peasants  of  Normandy  built  in  the  reign  of  the 

Henries. 
Thatched  were  the  roofs,  with  dormer-windows  ;  and  gables 

projecting 
Over  the  basement  below  protected  and  shaded  the  doorway." 

The  French  dominions  Avere  guarded  by  a 
chain  of  forts  extending  all  along  the  Atlantic 
coast,  from  the  St.  Lawrence  to  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico.  That  on  Cape  Breton  Island,  which 
protected  tlie  approach  to  the  St.  Lawrence, 
was  considered  invincible,  its  walls  being  thirty 
feet  high,  forty  feet  thick,  and  surrounded  by  a 
moat  eighty  feet  ift  width. 


142  OllCIi    THE  BORDER. 

Boston  sent  out  a  fleet  of  forty-one  vessels 
and  three  tliousand  men  to  Cape  Breton,  to 
assail  tlie  "  Gibraltar  of  America,"  as  the  fort 
of  Louisl)ur<^  ^yas  called.  Forces  from  New 
llam])shire  and  C(^nnecticut  joined  the  expedi- 
tion at  Canso ;  and  this  remarkable  fortress, 
whose  fortifications  alone  cost  five  million  dol- 
lars, was  besie^-ed,  and  capitulated  after  forty- 
nine  days,  yieldiufj;"  to  untrained  soldiers;  the 
victory  owing  to  ''mere  audacity  and  hardi- 
hood, backed  by  the  rarest  good  luck,"  as  one 
English  writer  says.  The  conrpierors  them- 
selves were  amazed  at  their  success  when  they 
discovered  the  great  strength  of  the  fort.  Their 
victory  was,  in  fact,  due  largely  to  manoeu- 
vres which  deceived  the  French  regarding 
the  strength  of  their  forces. 

This  was  ten  years  before  the  dispersion  of 
the  French  Neutrals  was  effected ;  and  during 
those  years  the  Acadians,  being  zealous  Catho- 
lics and  devoted  to  the  mother  country,  natu- 
rally but  almost  unconsciously  were  drawn  into 
tlie  disputes  between  France  and  England  ;  and 
it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at,  if,  as  some  authori- 


GRAXn  PIllL  143 

ties  state,  tliere  wore  tliroe  Iniiulred  of  tlieir 
youii<i'  men  foinid  in  arms  wlu^ii  the  En^^lisli 
attacked  Fort  ]ieau-Sej()ur.  The  French  liad 
built  Forts  ]5eau-8ejour  and  Ganpereau  on  tlie 
neck  connectiii'i;'  tlio  })eninsnh'x  of  Nova  Scotia 
witli  the  mainhmd,  to  <j;-uard  the  entrance  to 
tlieir  territory.  A  few  hot-lieaded  youtlis,  wlio 
thouf,dit  tliey  were  honestly  serving-  their  coun- 
try and  people  by  taking  up  arms  in  defence, 
mio^ht  have  been  forgiven,  particularly  as  it  is 
known  that  some  were  pressed  into  the  service, 
and  tliat  the  oath  which  tliey  had  taken  years 
before  absolved  tliem  from  taking  arms  ag-ainst 
France,  but  did  not  pledge  them  against  serving 
in  her  defence. 

These  f(n-ts  were  taken  by  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Moncton  in  June,  1755,  the  garrison  of  J^eau- 
Sejour  being  sent  to  Louisburg  on  condition 
that  they  should  not  take  up  arms  in  Ameri(;a 
for  six  months.  Prince  Edward's  Island  —  then 
called  St.  John's  Island  —  fell  into  the  hands  of 
the  English  when  Cape  Breton  was  taken,  and 
the  inhabitants  were  sent  to  France.  In  the 
summer  of  1755  matters  seemed  to  be  culmi- 


144  OVER    THE  BORDER. 

nating",  and  tho  bitter  (lissonsions  were  broiiglit 
to  a  cri.siH.  The  Neutrjils  were  a^'-ain  called 
upon  to  take  tlie  oatli,  the  fcdlowiiig-  ])ein<^  the 
form  in  which  it  was  presented  to  them :  "  Jo 
])romets  et  jure  sincerement,  en  foi  de  Chretien, 
(pie  je  serai  entierement  fidcle  et  obeirai  vrai- 
nient  sa  Majeste  Le  Koi  Georf»"e,  (pie  je  recon- 
nais  1)011  r  le  Souverain  seigneur  de  I'Acadie,  ou 
iiouvelle  Ecosse  —  ainsi  Dieu  me  soit  en  aide." 

lint  this  was  not  the  "reserved  oath,"  as  the 
former  one  was  called ;  and  the  Acadians,  feeling 
tliemselves  bound  by  the  old  pledge,  asked  ex- 
em])tion  from  this,  and  requested  the  restoration 
of  arms  which  had  been  taken  from  them,  ag-ree- 
ing  also  to  keep  faithfully  the  old  form  of  oath. 

Deputies  from  the  settlements  near  Port 
Royal  (which  were  above,  below,  {ind  almost 
on  the  site  of  the  present  town  of  Annapolis), 
at  Pisiquid  (now  Windsor),  Minas,  etc.,  were 
sent  to  Halifax,  where  a  long-  conference  was 
held ;  but  the  deputies  still  declining  to  accept 
the  new  oath,  they  were  imprisoned,  and  the 
deportation  of  the  Acadians  decided  upon.  In 
order  to  do  this  artifice  was  resorted  to,  to  pre- 


aiiAXD  PRE.  145 

vent  the  people  from  snspectiiif^  wlijit  was  in 
store  for  tlieni,  and  that  tlie  ytouv  })easants  mig-lit 
Iiave  no  chance  to  leave  themselves  or  carry 
away  their  possessions.  "  Jioth  old  men  and 
yonng  men,  as  well  as  the  lads  of  ten  years  of 
age,"  were  called,  by  a  })roclamation,  "  to  attend 
at  the  church  at  Grand  Pre  "  at  a  certain  time  ; 
and  it  was  declared  that  "  no  excuse "  would 
*'  be  admitted,  on  any  pretence  whatever,  on 
pain  of  forfeiting  goods  and  chattels,  in  de- 
fault of  real  estate." 

The  settlers  on  the  Basin  of  Minas  were 
immigrants  from  Saintonge,  Poitou,  and  La 
Rochelle,  who  came  to  this  country  in  the 
early  part  of  the  seventeenth  century.  The 
land  which  they  had  reclaimed  from  the  Basin 
was  rich  and  fertile  ;  they  exported  grain  to 
Boston,  and  became  prosperous.  The  object  of 
the  call  to  the  church  does  not  seem  to  have 
been  suspected.     When  Basil  says,  — 

"  Four  days  now  are  passed  since  the  English  ships  at  their 
anchors 
Ride  in  the  Gaspereau's  mouth,  with  their  cannon  pointed 


against  ua. 


10 


146  ovi:n  Tin:  luniDim. 

AV'hiit  their  ilcsi^'iis  may  bo  is  unknown;  but  all  iiro  cum- 

maniK'il 
Uu  the  morrow  to  nuict  in  tho  church,  whoro  his  Majesty's 

maudatu 
Will  be  proclaimeil  ns  law  in  the  Itintl ;" 

lU'iiodict  responds,  — 

"  I'erhaps  the  harvests  in  England 
]}y  the  untimely  rains  or  untinidier  heat  have  been  blighti'd, 
And  from  our  bursting  barns  they  would  feed  their  cattle  and 
children." 

But  in  the  cliurch  tlio  mystery  was  solved 
soon  enoiio-lij  aiid  iiMturally  a  terrible  scene  en- 
sued, '^^riiev  were  informed  tlitit  their  ''  liuids, 
tenements,  cattle,  and  live-stock  of  all  kinds  were 
to  be  forfeited  to  the  crown,  with  all  their  ef- 
fects, saving  their  money  and  household  goods," 
and  they  themselves  banished ;  though,  "  so  far 
as  the  capacity  of  the  transports  permitted,"  they 
Avere  "  to  be  allowed  to  carry  their  household 
goods  with  them."  They  were  also  promised 
that  families  should  not  be  separated,  and  that 
the  transportation  should  be  made  as  easy  as 
possible. 

Then  they  were  declared  prisoners,  and  the 


a  HAS  I)  riuL  147 

cliiircli  bociimc  tli(3  «j;ii;M'(l-li()iiso.  Ten  incii  at 
u  tinio  won;  allowod  to  leavo  tlio  l)iiil(liii;Li',  to 
pack  tlicir  goods  and  assist  in  tla^  prcparatinns 
I'ordt'partuiv;  and  wlicn  tlicy  rL'turni'd  ten  others 
were  also  permitted  to  leave  for  a  time.  AVIille 
]\roncton  was  destroy  in  ;4-  Ixcmslie*;',  Shediac,  and 
other  towns  on  tlie  (J nit  coast,  I[an»llield  j^-ath- 
ered  up  the  French  Anna])(»litans,  and  Mnrray 
those  about  Windsor,  puttin;^'  them  on  ship- 
])oard ;  and  on  the  21st  ot"  October  the  ships, 
with  their  wretched  passengers,  set  sail.  In  the 
contusion  and  hurry  of  end)arkation  some  fami- 
lies were  separated  ;  and  it  is  on  this  fact  that 
the  story  of  Evangeline  is  founded. 

]\[ost  of  the  exiles  were  scattered  among  the 
towns  of  Massachusetts  ;  and  in  the  State  House 
in  IJoston  some  curious  old  records  relate  to 
them,  one  town  desiring  comj)ensation  "  for 
keeping  three  French  pagans,"  from  which  it 
seems  that  there  was  still  prejudice  against 
them  because  of  their  religion. 

"  From   the   cold   lakes   of  the   north    to    sultry   southoru 
Savannahs," 

to  the  region  where 


148  <)\'i:ii   THE  BOliDEIt. 

*'  Oh  tlio  biuikH  of  tlio  Tiche  arc  tlio  towns  of  St.  Maur  and 
St.  Miirtin," 

to  the  })arisli  of  Attakiipas 

"  anil  the  prairit's  of  fair  Opelousaa  " 

ill  TiOiiisijina,  Home  of  tlio  exiles  Avaiuleretl. 
Their  descendants  live  tluu'e  at  the  ])r(»sent 
time,  and  are  known  as  Cajeans.  Thon^^h 
sometimes  harshly  treated  in  the  towns  where 
they  were  (inartcM-ed,  thon«,'"h  shonldered  off 
from  one  villaj^-e  to  another  when  one  }»rew 
weary  of  or  made  exenses  for  not  maintain in«^- 
them,  the  })oor  wanderers  were  mild,  gentle, 
and  imcomjdaining'. 

A  writer  in  *'  Canadian  Antiquities "  says : 
'*  None  speaks  the  tonjifue  of  Evangeline  ;  and 
her  story,  though  trne  as  it  is  sweet  and  sor- 
rowed, is  heard  no  more  in  the  scenes  of  her 
early  days." 

The  way  in  which  it  came  about  that  Long- 
fellow wrote  his  poem  was  in  this  wise :  one 
day,  when  Hawthorne  and  a  friend  from  Salem 
were  dining  with  the  poet,  the  Salem  gentle- 
man remarked  to  the  host,  **  I  have  been  trying 


ORASD  PRE.  149 

to  jxTHUJule  Iluwtlionio  to  write  a  Htory  l)}iso(l 
oil  Ji  lt'^''(,'iul  of  Aciulic;  5111(1  still  cuiTciit  there,  — 
tlio  K'<j^t»ii(l  of  a  <^irl  who,  in  the  dispersion  of 
tlie  Acadiaiis,  was  separated  from  her  U)vcr,  and 
passed  her  life  in  waitiiij^'  and  sec^kinjjf  for  liiin, 
and  only  found  him  dyin;;-  in  a  hospitnl  when 
botli  were  old."  The  host,  surprised  that  this 
roinance  did  not  strike  the  fancy  of  the  novel- 
ist, asked  if  he  himself  ini^iht  use  it  for  a  poem; 
jind  l^tuthorne,  readily  assent  in  <;•,  promised  not 
to  attiunpt  the  suhject  in  prose  until  the  jioet  had 
tried  what  he  eould  do  with  it  in  nietrieal  form. 
No  one  rejoiced  more  heartily  in  the  success  of 
the  world-renowned  poem  than  the  writer  who 
^jj-eiierously  j>'ave  u])  an  opportunity  to  win  fame 
from  his  working  \\\)  of  the  sad  theme. 

Authorities  differ  widely  regardino-  the  num- 
ber of  persons  expelled  from  Acadia,  many  his- 
torians }>ivin<»"  the  estimate  at  seven  thousand. 
In  a  letter  from  Governor  Lawrence  to  the 
governors  of  the  ditl'erent  colonies  to  which 
the  exiles  were  sent,  lie  says  :  "As  their  nuin- 
bers  amount  to  near  seven  thousand  persons, 
the  driving  them  off  with  leave  to  go  whither 


150  OVER    THE  BORDER. 

thoy  pleased  would  have  doubtless  streng-tlieued 
Canada  with  so  considerable  a  number  of  inhal)i- 
tants."  Bryant  says  :  "  Seven  tliousand  prob- 
ably represented  with  sufficient  accuracy  the 
total  French  population  of  Acadia  in  1755  ;  but 
the  entire  number  of  the  exiled  did  not  exceed, 
if  Minot  be  correct,  two  tliousand,  of  whom 
many  subsequently  returned  to  Acadia." 

Five  years  after  the  departure  of  the  exiles  a 
fleet  of  twenty-two  vessels  sailed  from  Con- 
necticut for  Grand  Pr6  with  a  large  number  of 
colonists,  who  took  possession  of  the  deserted 
farms.  They  found  sixty  ox  carts  and  yokes, 
•while  on  the  edg-e  of  woods  of  the  inland 
country  and  in  sheltered  places  heaps  of  bones 
told  of  cattle  which  had  perished  of  starvation 
and  cold  after  their  owners  were  forced  to  leave 
them  to  such  a  fate.  A  few  straggling  families 
of  the  Acadians  were  also  found,  who  had  es- 
caped from  the  search  of  the  soldiers,  and  had 
lived  in  hiding  in  the  wilds  of  the  back  country 
for  five  years,  and  during  that  time  had  not 
tasted  bread. 


CLARE. 


CLARE. 

"  Only  along  the  shore  of  the  mournful  and  misty  Atlantic 
Linger  a  few  Acadian  peasants,  whose  fathers  from  exile 
"Wandered  back  to  tlieir  native  land  to  die  in  its  hosom. 
In  the  fisherman's  cot  the  whet  1  and  the  loom  are  still 

busy  , 
Maidens  still  wear  their  Xorman  caps  and  their  kirtles  of 

homespun, 
And  by  the  evening  fire  repeat  Evangeline's  story." 

Resolved  to  see  these  curious  ''Clare  settle- 
ments," extendiug  for  fifty  miles  on  the  coast, 
where  descendants  of  the  French  Acadians 
live  in  peace  and  unity,  we  reluctantly  take 
our  departure  at  last  from  dear  old  Amiapolis, 
which  has  been  our  restful  haven  so  long,  and 
where  we  have  been  reviving  school-days  in 
studying  history  and  geography  seasoned  with 
poetry  and  romance.  Altliough  it  was  expected 
that  the  W.  C.  R.  R.  would  be  completed  from 
Yarmouth  to  Annapolis  by  the  latter  part  of 
1876,  we  are  pleased  to  find  thf^t  this  is  not  the 


154  OVER    THE   BORDER. 

case,  and  that  we  shall  have  to  take  steamer, 
train,  and  carriage  to  our  destination ;  antici- 
pating' that  any  place  so  out  of  the  beaten 
track  nuist  be  interesting". 

The  French  settlements,  a  succession  of 
straggling"  hamlets,  Avere  founded  by  descend- 
ants of  the  exiles,  who,  — 

"a  raft  as  it  were  from  the  shipwrecked  nation,  .  .  . 
Bound  hy  the  bonds  of  a  common  belief  and  a  common 
misfortune," 

drifted  back  to  "L'Acadie"  in  17G3,  the  year 
of  the  treaty  between  France  and  England. 

The  lands  of  their  fathers  in  their  old  haunts 
on  the  Basin  of  Minas  were  in  possession  of 
people  from  New  England ;  and,  having  a  nat- 
ural and  inherited  affection  for  localities  by  the 
sea,  they  wandered  down  the  coast  and  scat- 
tered along  shore  as  we  find  them  now. 

A  pleasant  excursion  by  steamer  to  Digby, 
thence  proceeding  some  miles  by  rail,  finally 
a  long  but  charming  drive  by  the  shore  of  St. 
Mary's  Bay,  and  we  are  set  down  at  the  house 
of  a  family  of  the  better  class,  among  these  kindly 
and  old-fashioned  farming  and  fisher  folk. 


CLARE.  155 

Tliis  beautiful  bay  is  thirty-five  miles  long, 
was  cliristened  Baie  St.  Marie  ]jy  Cliaini)]aiu, 
and  liere  the  four  ships  of  De  Monts  lay  in  cahu 
and  secure  harbor  for  two  weeks  in  1604,  wliile 
the  adventurers  were  examining  the  shores  of 
Nova  Scotia,  —  explorations  in  which  the  dis- 
covery of  iron  pyrites  deluded  them  with  the 
belief  that  this  would  prove  an  El  Dorado. 

Madame  M.  at  first  looks  disma^-ed  at  the 
appearance  of  such  a  group  of  strangers  at  her 
door,  and  is  sure  she  cannot  acconnnodate  us ; 
but  her  daughters  slyly  jog  her  elbow,  saying 
something  in  an  undertone,  as  if  urging  her  to 
consent,  and  we  are  made  most  comfortable. 

At  first  the  fiimily  are  a  little  sh}',  but  ir^  a 
couple  of  days  we  become  quite  well  ac- 
quairited ;  and,  when  the  time  comes  for  our 
departure  they  "wish  we  could  stay  longer," — 
a  wish  which  we  heartily  re-echo. 

Madame  proudly  displays  her  treasures  in 
hand-spun  and  home-woven  linen  and  blank- 
ets ;  also  a  carpet,  the  material  for  which  she 
first  spun,  then  dyed,  and  finally  wove ;  and, 
though  it  has  been  in  use  for  ten  years,  it  is  still 


156  OVER    THE  BORDER. 

fresh  and  shows  no  apparent  wear.  In  response 
to  our  entreaties,  she  sliows  ns  the  loom,  and 
brings  out  her  spinninf^-wheel  to  instruct  us  in 
tliat  housewifely  acconii)lishment.  IIow  easy 
it  looks,  as  the  fleecy  web  moves  through  her 
fingers,  and  winds  in  smooth,  even  yarn  on  the 
swiftl3'-turning  reel ;  and,  oh,  what  bungling 
and  botching  when  we  et3say  that  same  !  The 
two  pretty,  modest,  and  diffident  daughters  are 
quite  overcome  at  last,  and  join  in  our  peals  of 
merriment. 

One  —  oh  bliss !  —  is  named  Evangeline,  and, 
if  we  understand  correctly,  there  is  an  old 
name  similar  to  this  nmong  thcoo  people, 
'i'hough  they  sing  some  charming  old  French 
chansons  for  us,  the  two  sweet  girls  cannot  be 
induced  to  converse  in  that  language.  Ma- 
dame laughs,  saying,  '*  Dey  know  dey  doant 
speak  de  goot  French,  de  fine  I  rench,  so  dey 
w^ill  only  talk  Angleesh  wid  you."  But  in  the 
evening,  when  Octavia  sings  an  absurd  college 
song,  with  a  mixture  of  French  and  English 
words,  they  enjoy  the  fun;  and  immediately 
set  to  work  to  learn:  — 


CLARE. 


157 


"  Oh,  Joiin  Puiptiisto,  pourquoi  vous  groase 
My  littlo  (loaf's  iu)s((  with  tail 
Miuliiiiic,  jc  groiiHC!  liis  nose  witli  tar 
l)('c;uis(^  h(^  havo  \on  grand  catarrh  ; 
Madame,  jo  groaso  liis  nose 
Parceiju'il  he  vorries  my  leetle  fite  cliat." 

Then  the  pretty  EvaiioeHne  in  tnrn  hecomes 
instrnctor,  the  theme  lieing"  an  ancient  })easant 
song"  of  Fi'ance  wliieli  her  g-randniother  used 
to  shig.  One  plays  the  melody  from  memory, 
\vhil3  the  other  hastily  rules  a  bit  of  paper  and 
writes  off  the  notes,  afterwards  copying'  the 
words  from  a  scap  of  tattered  manuscript ; 
and  thus  the  lady  from  "  America"  feels  that 
she  has  secured  a  pretty  souvenir  of  the  visit: 


LES  PEKLES  ET  LES   KTOILES. 


Andante. 


1.  Conime  lea  pcrles  et    les 

2.  Sur      un  soup-(;on    tu 


6  -  tol  -  Irs   Or  -  nent  do- j\    lo  front  dcs  rieux  1  La 
t'es  en  -  fuie    Je   pleurc  hclas    ton   a  -  ban-don  Par 


i=n 


:pr=z=iz:iir 


+-* 


2 


4r4F 


-"•_(-- 


pa 


t^r-^* 


_| P— K_  - 


r 


^ 


-p— . 


r 


--p— p- 


158 


OVER   THE  nOJiDEIi. 


il^Ep^ISi^l^^lliSi 


nult  6  •  tcnil  piir  •  tout  son  vullo   Kilo    vleiit  M  -  ji        fer  -  nicr  men  yieux,  Re  ■ 
uii  bull  -  er  jo        t'uii 'up -plio  Viuns  m'accorU-tT       uii  Uoiix  pitr  •  (Ion.   QUI 


:l: 


S: 


-+-* 


W^ 


f- p — p^ 

r- ■ 

f 


S 


:§=j^= 


3E^=iJH^EiEHli?E£iE^ 


ylendnis   tii      Jans     uii  tloux  .innno,  O      iiiou  l>cl  iitiKo,    toi      quo    j'ailoro       Mo 
crois  jo  bion     niu     bimiio  a-iiiio    J'our    to     re- voir     oli!     oui,    uii  j<iur,   .lo 


=1= 


--P- 


*      4 


3^^i^3^^iS^ 


i  * 


■r-^ 


P3^=p 


n 


r 


'^. 


r 


r6-p6  -  tor        di  -  vers  monflonges  Mo     re  -  p6  •  tor     ''jo    fiiime  on  ■  corol  " 
don-uo-ruia        tou  -  to  ma  vio        Je   don  -  ne  -  rnis    tous     uios      a  -  niours ! 


P 


Wi 


5 


mfmm 


.gr-+ 


3= 


i 


m 


^ 


tr- 


-B P- 


r 


5= 


'^=^ 


The  word  ^^  mensonges^^  has  not  tlie  meaning 
in  French  which  our  literal  translation  would 


CLARE.  159 

j>-ivc  it.  Tt  probably  si^iiifics  tlio  pretty  false- 
hoods or  white  lies  to  which  lovers  are  some- 
what adtlietcd.  'V\w  next  day  is  iSuiiday,  and 
troops  oi'  p(H)ple,  in  their  peculiar  costume, 
a])pear  on  the  road  from  all  directions,  wend- 
inj;'  th(3ir  way  to  the  f^reat  white  wooden 
church. 

Despite  the  innate  <^Tace  of  the  French,  of 
which  we  hear  so  much,  we  see  that  the  young 
men  amon<»'  these  peasants  are  not  unlike  the 
shy  and  awkward  country  lads  of  Yankee- 
land.  Before  and  between  the  services  they 
roost  on  the  fence  opposite  the  church,  while 
the  y'>un<^'-  girls  —  totally  oblivious  of  their 
proximity,  of  course  —  gather  in  grouj)s  on  the 
other  side  of  the  road,  gossiping.  A^e  infer 
that  many  have  come  a  long  distance  to  attend 
service,  is  we  see  several  families  eating  their 
lunch,  picnic  fashion,  in  the  fields  near  the 
church.  In  the  church,  what  a  sensation  the 
strangers  make,  and  how  interesting  is  the  ser- 
vice !  To  one  of  us,  at  least,  the  grand  service 
of  Notre  Dame  of  Paris  was  not  so  impres- 
sive as  this.     In  the  one  case,  a  famous  Bishop, 


100  OVJ::il    THE  liOIlDElL 

robed  in  priceless  luco  and  clutli  of  ^old,  Avitli 
:i  troop  of  accdytes  at  tlie  altar,  while  tlie  most 
famous  siii^ji-ers  of  the  ( )per)i  filled  I.e  vast 
stnu'ture  with  nipturoiis  melody  ;  in  tlu;  other, 
a  l;ir<^-e  })laiii  Avooden  bnildiiij^-  with  jj'lariii;4- 
wiiiditws  of  uiitiiited  ^hiss ;  the  priest  in  vest- 
ments of  coarse  Nottin^-ham  lace  and  yellow 
damask, — but  with  spiritual,  benignant  coun- 
tenance,—  and  a  choir  of  nntrained  voices.  A 
company  of  men  droned  out  Gregorian  cliants 
in  painfully  nasal  tones,  using  anti(pie  books 
with  s(puire-headed  notes ;  then  the  sweet 
voice  of  our  host's  daughter,  Evangeline, 
s(umded  solo,  and  her  youthful  companions  in 
the  choir  took  up  the  chorus  of  the  Kyrie 
Eleisou :  — 

"  Then  came  the  evening  service.  The  tapers  gleamcil  from 
the  altar, 

fervent  and  deep  was  the  voice  of  the  priest,  and  tiie  people 
responded, 

Not  with  their  lips  alone,  but  with  their  hearts ;  and  the 
Ave  Maria 

San^  they,  and  fell  on  their  knees,  and  their  souls  with  de- 
votion translated, 

Rose  on  the  ardor  of  prayer,  like  Elijah  ascending  to 
heaven." 


M: 


luU 


UVi^^li     /.*'.■;•-    KUiUfl'^R. 


rob.  pricoleSH  "••■ 

ifUMou.s  siiig-ora   of  ifj- 
structure  with  raptvu' 
iliilii   \voo»i. 
windows  of  uniintO' 
ments  of  <'<»i!i> 
damask,  -  wir]^ 

tonaiic* 


,.M|! 


conipaiij. 
in  iwii!*"-; 
with    MijU 
vole 

iSO.UVl'i*    . 

tlie  chou*  tu<:k 
Kleiso    . 


tho  nUar, 
f'crvent  and  cleej)  was  the  v.;' 

Not  with  their  lips  alone,  \ 

\\'r  Maria 
.Sdiig  tliey,  and  ft-ll  on  th«ir  ' 

%  otiou  translivted, 
Rose   .  n    tht-   "nl;  '    of  pr&,; 


.1  cJoth  of  gohl,  with 

liM  •.  while  the  most 

!'i    filled   tlie  vast 

teiodv  ;   in  tho  Other. 

lihlinp:    with   ghu.nu;.';' 

leat  in  vest- 

and  yiiUow 

..aK  Iwuignant  couu- 

itnrrrJned  voicoH.     .', 

regoriau  ehuutd 

.  .'iutique  books 

hcu    th,e    sweet 

Evangeline, 

ul  conn  )iU)i ions  in 

i.U!   of  tlie   Kyrie 

!wj,'rP3  gleaiu<.!d  fi'Oii- 

.'.  .,xi-i';?st,  and  tho  people 

i.'ir  hearts ;  and  t}ic 

nd  tlieir  aouls  with  de- 


^•'ii.>i 


!      rtSCOUdlAlg    to 


CLARE.  161 

Tlie  young  girls  array  themselves  in  hats 
and  costumes  which  are  only  two  or  three 
years  behind  the  prevailing  mode;  but  the 
attire  of  the  middle-aged  and  elderly  women 
is  striking  and  peculiar.  For  Sundays,  this  is 
invariably  black  throughout,  and  yet  does  not 
look  funereal.  The  dress  is  of  plain  bombazine 
or  alpaca,  a  shawl  folded  square,  and  over  the 
head  a  large  silk  handkerchief,  which  must  be 
put  on  with  greatest  exactness  and  care  to 
make  just  so  many  folds  at  the  sides  with  a 
huge  knot  under  the  chin ;  while  the  point  at 
the  back  hangs  below  the  neck,  and  generally 
has  one  or  more  initials  neatly  worked  in 
colors  ("  cross-stitch  ")  in  the  corner.  As  most 
have  clear  olive  complexion,  with  rich  color  in 
the  cheeks,  and  lustrous  black  eyes,  this  head- 
dress is  surprisingly  becoming,  giving  quite  a 
gypsyish  effect. 

During  the  week,  a  calico  dress  with  long 

white  apron  is  worn  by  women  and  children, 

and  over  the  head  a  light  chintz  handkerchief, 

or  a  gay  "bandanna;"  —  quite  suggestive  of 

the  every-day  wear  of  foreign  peasantr}^     We 

11 


162  OVER    THE  BORDER. 

are  told  that  a  girl's  wealth  is  sometimes  esti- 
mated by  the  number  of  handkerchiefs  she 
owns.  Mrs.  R.  says  she  has,  in  winter,  seen  a 
girl  divest  herself  of  no  less  than  ten  head-ker- 
chiefs ;  taking  them  off,  one  by  one,  and  care- 
fully folding  them  in  the  most  natnral  manner, 
as  if  there  could  be  nothing  uncommon  or 
amusing  in  the  proceeding. 

The  old  women,  in  winter,  wear  enormous 
cloaks,  made  with  a  large  square  yoke,  into 
which  eight  or  ten  breadths  of  material  are 
closely  plaited,  —  this  unwieldy  garment  com- 
pletely enveloping  them  from  head  to  foot. 

These  distinctive  features  in  costume  are 
disappearing,  and  ere  long  oui  American  peas- 
antry may  become  commonplace  and  xininter- 
esting.  Let  us  hope  that  they  may  never  lose 
the  sweet  simplicity,  frankness,  honesty,  thrift, 
and  other  pleasing  characteristics  which  they 
now  possess. 

In  the  houses  is  seen  a  peculiar  rocking- 
settle,  similar  to  those  in  use  among  the  Penn- 
sylvania Dutch.  This  odd  piece  of  furniture 
has  one  end  railed  in  front  to  serve  for  cradle  j 


CLARE.  168 

SO  papa,  inamma,  and  baby  can  rock  and  "take 
comfort"  together. 

Towards  evening  we  visit  the  convent,  where 
tlio  sisters — who  probably  do  not  receive  fre- 
quent calls  from  visitors  —  seem  glad  of  tlie 
opportunity  for  a  pleasant  chat  and  a  bit  of 
news  from  the  outside  world.  They  show  us 
through  their  exquisitely  neat  establishment, 
where,  in  the  culinary  department,  a .  crone 
who  is  deaf  and  rather  childish  approaches  us 
with  such  strong  evidence  of  delight,  that  we 
expect  at  least  to  be  embraced ;  but  a  sign  from 
the  Superior  relieves  us  from  the  impending 
demonstration. 

At  sunset,  as  we  stroll  along  the  road,  three 
pretty  little  girls  who  are  driving  home  a  flock 
of  geese  tempt  us  to  air  our  French  a  little,  and 
a  lively  conversation  ensues,  causing  tlieir  black 
eyes  to  sparkle  and  their  white  teeth  to  flash 
bewitchingly.  One  of  the  children  explains  wh}' 
one  of  the  awkward  birds  wears  a  clumsy  tri- 
angular collar  of  wood,  with  a  stake  apparently 
driven  through  its  throat,  *'  to  prevent  it  from 
going  through  the  fences ; "  and  when  one  of 


164  OVER   THE  BORDER. 

the  stranj^ers,  Imitating  the  waddling  gait  of  the 
creatures,  iniprovit^oa,  — 

Bon  soir, 
Madamo  Oie, 
Veux  tu  lo  bio  1 
II  est  u  toi  1 

such  a  shout  of  merry  laughter  is  heard  as  one 
miglit  willingly  go  a  long  way  to  listen  to. 
When  one  gives  lier  name,  "  Therese  le  Blanc,^* 
our  query,  "  Votre  p^i*e,  est  il  la  Notaire  f " 
strange  to  sa) ,  puzzl'^s  her;  but  she  probably 
is  not  familiar  with  a  certain  famous  poem, 
although  our  hostess  and  her  daughters  have 
perused  it. 

As  time  passes,  and  she  feels  better  acquainted 
and  at  ease  with  us,  Madame  M.'s  younger 
daughter  amuses  us  by  showing  some  mis- 
chievous tendency ;  and  we  conclude  she  is 
something  of  "  a  tease."  In  the  most  artless 
manner,  and  without  intentional  familiarity, 
she  slides  her  arm  through  Octavia's  in  tt  con- 
fidential manner  and  imparts  some  important 
information  "  dans  I'oreille."  What  is  it  ? 
Well,  remember  it  is  tvhispered ;  and  now  donH 


CLARE.  165 

g-o  and  toll!  It  is  that  there  is  a  swain  who 
is  Evan;4(*line's  special  devoted  ;  and  the  quick 
blush  which  rises  most  becomingly  on  that 
damsel's  cheek  si)eaks  for  itself.  We  have  seen 
for  ourselves  how 

"  Many  a  youth,  as  ho  knelt  in  tlie  church  and  opened  his 
missal 
Fixed  his  eyes  upon  her  ;" 

and  as  our  eyes  turn  to  the  lovely  view  of  the 
Bay  with  its  sheltering-  highlands  we  can  readily 
imagine  how,  on  just  such  evenings  as  tliis,  — 

"apart,  in  the  twili^dit  gloom  of  a  wind(>^v's  emh/asure, 
Sat  the  lovers,  and  whispered  together,  beholding  the  moon 

rise 
Over  the  pallid  sea," 

while 

"  Silently  one  by  one,  in  the  infinite  meadows  of  heaven. 
Blossom  the  lovely  stars,  the  forget-me-nots  of  the  angels." 

We  do  not  ask  if  the  lover's  name  is  "  Gabriel," 
but  earnestly  wish  her  a  happier  lot  than  that 
of  the    ad  heroine  of  Grand  Pr(3's  story. 

The  sun  sinks  behind  the  hills  which  bound 
lovely  St.  Mary's  Bay,  and  we  plainly  see  the 
two  curious  openings  known  as  the  Grand  Pas- 


IGG  OVEJi    THE  null  VEIL 

aayo  and  Potit  Piissa<»o,  throuj^h  wliicli  tlio  fish- 
enuen  sail  when  conveying  their  carj^'oew  to  St. 
Jolui.  Tiie  Petit  Passage  is  one  mile  wide ; 
and  passing  through  this  deep  strait  tlie  liardy 
fishermen  can,  in  favorable  weather,  cross  to 
St.  John  in  eight  to  ten  hours.  These  highlands 
across  the  Bay,  known  as  Digby  Neck  and 
Lonji"  Island,  are  a  continuation  of  the  range 
of  mountains  terminating  in  lilomidon  on  the 
Miuiis  Basin,  and  so  singularly  cut  away  to  make 
entrance  to  Anna})olis  Basin,  at  St.  George's 
Channel,  vulgarly  known  as  Digby  Gut. 

When  De  Monts  and  his  party  were  ready  to 
continue  their  cruise  from  this  sheltered  haven, 
behold  !  one  of  their  company  —  a  priest  —  was 
missing ;  and  thougii  they  waited  several  days, 
making  signals  and  firing  guns,  such  sounds 
were  drowned  by  the  roar  of  the  surf,  and 
never  reached  the  ears  of  the  poor  man  lost 
in  tlie  woods.  At  last,  supposing  that  the 
wanderer  had  fallen  a  prey  to  wild  animals, 
the  explorers  sailed  away,  and,  finding  the 
entrance  to  Aimapolis  Basin,  began  to  make 
preparation  for  colonizing  at  Port  Royal. 


CLARE.  107 

Sixteen  days  ufter  tlie  disappearance  of  the 
priest,  some  of  De  Monts's  men  returnin«r  to  this 
liay  to  examine  tlie  minerals  more  tlioron^lily, 
were  attracted  by  a  signal  tlnttcrinj^'  on  the 
shore,  nnd,  hnrrying  to  land,  there  found  the 
poor  priest,  emaciated  and  exhausted.  What 
strange  sensations  the  disti  acted  wanderer  nnist 
have  experienced  in  these  forest  wilds,  with  star- 
vation staring  him  in  the  face  !  No  charms  did 
he  see  in  this  scene  which  now  delights  us  ;  and 
doubtless,  with  Selkirk,  would  have  exclaimed, 
"  Better  dwell  in  the  midst  of  alarms,  than  to 
live  in  this  beautiful  place." 

This  strange  wild  coast  and  the  Cod  Banks 
of  Newfoundland  were  known  to  and  visited 
by  foreign  fishermen  at  a  very  early  date. 
"  The  Bascpies,  that  primeval  people,  older 
than  history,"  frequented  these  shores  ;  and  it 
is  supposed  that  such  fisheries  existed  even 
before  the  voyage  of  Cabot  (1497).  There  is 
strong  evidence  of  it  in  1504;  while  in  1527 
fourteen  fishing  vessels  —  Norman,  Portuguese, 
and  Breton  —  were  seen  at  one  time  in  the  Bay 
of  Fnndy,  near  the  present  site  pf  St.  John. 


168  OVLIi   THE   liUUDEU. 

When  w(<  (|iiOHti(>n  our  liostess  uh  to  the 
species  of  liimy  tribes  f'oiuul  in  tliuso  waters, 
slio  niontions  menluule  i,  nuickerel,  alewives, 
horrin*^,  ote. ;  and,  proud  of  her  Knj^lish,  con- 
cludes her  onunjeration  v.itli,  *' l)at  is  do  most 
only  feesh  dey  kotch  here." 

Another  drive  of  many  miles  alonf,*-  the  shore 
brintj-s  us  to  the  nei^^ldjorhood  of  the  very 
jumpin<^-()iF  place  of  the  Scotian  peninsuhi, 
with  novel  sights  to  attract  the  attention  en 
route.  Now  and  then  a  barn  with  thatched 
roof;  here  a  battered  boat  overturned  to  n)ake 
Pij^j»"y  and  family  a  habitation ;  there  heavy 
and  lumbering'  <///ee- wheeled  carts,  with  the 
third  rotator  placed  between  the  shafts,  so  the 
poor  ox  who  draws  the  queer  vehicle  iuis  n't 
much  room  to  spare. 

Huge  loads  of  hay  pass  us,  and  other  large 
form-wagons,  drawn  invariably  by  handsome 
oxen.  The  ox-yokes  are  a  constant  marvel  to 
us ;  for,  divested  of  the  bows,  they  are  fa-itened 
with  leather  straps  to  the  bases  of  the  poor  crea- 
tures' horns.  Evidently  there  is  no  *'  S.  P.  C.  A." 
here  ;  and  we  cannot  convince  those  with  whom 


CLARE.  169 

WO  convorHG  on  tlie  wiibjoct  tluit  tlio  poor  aiii- 
inulrt  would  i)iill  better  ])y  their  Hlioulders  than 
by  their  heads.  At  Hevenil  j)laees  we  see  the 
ehnusiest  windmills  tor  sawin;^-  wood  :  not  after 
the  fashion  of  the  picturesque  building's  which 
Don  Quixote  so  valiantly  opposed,  but  a  heavy 
frame-work  or  scatiblding"  about  twelve  feet  in 
height.  To  this  is  attached  a  wheel  oi'  heaviest 
plank  with  live  fans,  each  one  shaped  like  the 
arm  of  a  Greek  cross,  and  the  whole  so  })on- 
derous  we  are  confident  that  nothing*  less  than 
a  hurricane  could  make  it  revolve. 

Here  is  a  house  entirely  covered  with  dia- 
mond-shaped shingles,  having  also  double  and 
triple  windows,  which  are  long,  narrow,  and 
pointed  at  the  top,  yet  not  suggestive  of  the 
gotliic. 

Next  we  pass  a  point  where  an  old  post-inn 
once  stood,  and  where  the  curiously  curved, 
twisted,  and  strangely  complicated  iron  frame 
which  once  held  the  swinging  sign  still  remains. 

Many  a  bleak  ride  did  that  mounted  carrier 
have,  no  doubt,  in  days  of  yore ;  and  we  can 
imagine  him  saying :  — 


170  ovi!:h  the  bouder. 

"  Tho  ni;^lit  in  lat<!,  I  dure  not  wuit ;  the  wIiuIh  begin  to  l)low, 
And  ore  I  guin  the  rocky  pliiin  there  'U  l)e  a  Htorin,  I  know  I  " 

At  our  liiiul  liultinfT-phico  all  is  buHtle,  in 
propanition  for  a  two  duyH'  feto,  wliicli  com- 
inencos  uoxt  day ;  ncvortliclcsH,  liad  wu  been 
priiicos  of  tlio  realm,  wo  could  uot  have  bo(!U 
kIiowu  tru(ir  hospitality.  Pciro  JJanil  Aruiand 
liiiiiH(;lf  waits  U})on  uh,  wliilo  his  wifo  \h  cook- 
iiio-  daintioH  for  th(3  coming  festival ;  and  tho 
pretty  Moiiiea,  ^ivin^^  up  her  neat  aj)artnient  to 
one  of  our  i)Hrty,  lodges  at  a  neij^hbor's. 

Monsieur  li.,  thouj»h  8eventy-ei«»ht  years  of 
age,  retains  all  his  faculties  perfectly,  is  straight 
as  an  Indian,  his  luxuriant  hair  unstreaked  with 
gray,  and  he  is  over  six  fecit  in  height,  lie 
reminds  us  of  the  description  of  Jienedict  lielle- 
fontaine :  — 

'*  Stalwart   and   stately  in   form   was   the   man   of  seventy 
winters ; 
Hearty  and  halo  wa»   he,   an   oak   that   is   covered  with 
snow-llake.s  ; " 

but  our  host  is  even  a  finer  specimen  of  vigor- 
ous age.  Then  his  books  —  for  lie  is  collector 
of  customs,  a  post  which  he  has  held  for  twenty- 


CLAHE.  171 

fivo  yoars — would  aniuzo  many  a  youu^or  clerk 
or  Hcriliu;  uiid  ho  ia  aiiiiiHud,  but  a[>par(!iitly 
f»Tat,ifi()d,  vvIkmi  wo  ank  for  liiH  autoj^rapli,  which 
lio  ol)li;4in^]y  wnt(;H  for  each  lu  a  firm,  ch;ar, 
and  fino  ]iaii<l.  lio  Hayn  of  tho  juioplo  of  this 
Hottlouiont,  that  tiioy  {^cMiorally  Hpoak  patois, 
thouf»h  many,  iiko  hiuiHolf,  (;aii  H})cak  pure 
l^^roiicli;  tiiat  tiioy  aro  faitliful  and  tru(;-hoartod, 
inchistriouH  and  thrifty.  JIo  adds:  "Wo  aro 
not  rich,  wo  aro  not  poor,  ])ut  w(i  aro  happy 
and  contontod." 

Durinj^-  tiio  foarful  kcouoh  of  ITD^i  an  aniiahlo 
prioHt  of  j^roat  cultun;,  a  man  noblo  in  (diaraotor, 
an  by  liii-tli,  flod  from  tho  horrors  of  th.o  Fronoh 
Kovolution,  and  found  among  this  simple,  cliild- 
liko  people  a  peaceful  haven  and  luippy  home. 
This  earnest  man,  Abb(!  S^i^oigne,  devoted  him- 
self in  everyway  to  their  g'oo<l,  governing  them 
wisely  and  well,  and  might  truly  have  said,  in 
tho  words  of  Fatiier  FoHcian,  — 

"  I  lulxn'od  uiaoiig  you  uud  taught  you,  not  iu  word  alone  but 
in  dooil." 

Many  years  ho  resided  hero.  His  memory  is 
now  venerated  almost  as  that  of  a  saint,  and 


172  OVER    THE  BORDER. 

we  are  of  course  greatly  interested  when  Mon- 
sieur R.  brings  out,  with  just  pride,  his  grcjitest 
treasure,  —  a  cumbersome  and  quaint  old  vol- 
ume which  was  once  the  property  of  the  good 
priest. 

There  is  a  strong  feeling  of  brotherhood,  like 
the  Scottish  clanship,  among  the  people ;  and 
the  lands  of  parents  are  divided  and  subdivided, 
so  the  children  at  marriage  may  each  receive  a 
portion  as  dowei,  and  "  settle  down  "  near  their 
childhood's  liome ;  consequently  the  farms  are 
"  long  drawn  out,"  extending  sometimes  in  very 
narrow  strips  for  a  mile  or  more  inland. 

Abbe  Raynal  writes  most  poetically,  although 
not  absolutely  in  rhyme,  of  this  gentle  brother- 
hood, "  where  every  misfortune  was  relieved 
before  it  could  be  felt,  without  ostentation  on 
the  one  hand  and  without  meanness  on  the 
other.  Whatever  slight  differences  arose  from 
time  to  time  among  them  were  amicably  ad- 
justed by  their  elders." 

Our  driver  says  "  etwelles"  for  etoileSj  "  fret" 
fovfroid,  "si"  for  oui,  etc.;  the  dancing  crests 
of  the  waves  he  calls  "  chapeaux  blancs,"  which 


CLARE.  173 

is  similar  to  our  appellation,  and  also  speaks  of 
*'im  bon  coop  do  th(3,"  showing"  that  an  P^nglisli 
word  is  occasionally  adopted,  though  hardly 
recognizable  in  their  peculiar  phraseolog-y. 

Our  pleasant  acquaintance,  Dr.  R.,  who  lived 
liere  .several  years  after  he  "came  out"  from 
England,  tells  us  that  the  mackerouse,  a  wild 
duck,  is  found  here;  and,  as  it  subsists  upon 
fish,  the  people  are  allowed  to  eat  that  bird  on 
Fridays.  He  also  says  that  the  pigs  wade  out 
into  the  mud  at  low  tide  to  root  for  clams; 
while  the  crows,  following  in  their  tracks,  steal 
the  coveted  shell-fish  from  under  the  very  noses 
of  the  swine.  Of  the  remarkably  long  nasal 
appendages  of  this  peculiar  porcine  species  he 
adds,  "  They  do  say  that  they  '11  root  under  a 
fence  and  steal  potatoes  from  the  third  row  ! " 

In  thits  locality  we  hear  Yarmouth  spoken  of 
as  if  it  were  a  port  equal  to  New  York  in  im- 
portan^e,  and  so  it  doubtless  seems  to  these 
simple  untravelled  people.  In  reality  it  is  a 
prosperous  maritime  town  owning  one  hundred 
and  thirty  thousand  tons  of  shipping*,  and  is  a 
mildly  picturesque  place  when  the  tide  is  high. 


174  OVER    THE  BORDER. 

The  Indian  name  appropriately  signifies  "  end 
of  the  hind,"  and  one  niij^ht  naturally  suppose, 
when  arriving"  there,  that  he  had  reached  "  that 
famous  fahled  country,  *  away  down  east  ;  ' " 
though,  should  he  continue  his  travels  to  Lab- 
rador, that  mythical  region  would  still  lure  him 
on.  The  inhabitants  are  mainly  seafaring  men, 
—  many  of  the  captains  of  Cape  Ann  fishing 
fleets  came  from  liere  originally,  —  and  they  call 
the  Atlantic  from  Cape  Ann  to  Yarmouth  all  Bay 
of  Fundy,  though  that  is  **  rather  stretching  it." 

It  was  near  here  that  De  Monts  made  his 
first  landing  and  caught  a  nightingale  ijsin^y  16, 
1604).  Not  fiir  beyond,  about  the  shores  of 
Argyle  Bay,  a  great  many  **  French  Neutrals" 
found  refuge  in  1755  (though  an  English  ship 
tried  to  rout  them) ;  and  they  were  hunted  like 
wild  animals  about  here  for  two  or  three  years 
after. 

We  conclude  that  the  hamlets  on  the  vip[)er 
part  of  St.  Mary's  Bay  are  most  interesting,  and 
that  it  is  hardly  worth  while  to  continue  down 
the  coast  unless  one  desires  to  take  steamer 
from  this  port  to  Boston. 


CLARE.  175 

In  our  strolls  about  tlie  villaj^e,  we  come  to 
.  a  point  on  the  shore  where  a  boy  lias  a  quan- 
tity of  fine  larg-e  lobsters  which  he  has  just 
taken  from  the  trap ;  and  wleii  one  of  our  party 
asks  for  what  price  he  will  sell  some,  the  an- 
swer—  "One  cent  each" — is  so  astounding  that 
the  query  is  repeated,  so  we  may  be  convinced 
that  we  have  heard  aright.  Pere  Basil  is  evi- 
dently surprised  at  our  taste  when .  he  sees  us 
returning  with  our  purchases,  as  he  remarks, 
"We  don't  think  much  of  those  at  this  time  of 
year;"  from  which  we  infer  that  at  some  seasons 
they  have  to  depend  so  much  upon  fish,  lob- 
sters, etc.,  that  they  become  weary  of  them. 

There  is  such  Gallic  atmosphere  about  this 
place  (and  trip)  that  Octavia  is  infected,  and 
pei'petrates  doggerel  on  a  postal,  which  is  to 
be  mailed  from  the  "land's  end"  to  acquaint 
foreign  relatives  with  our  advent  in  a  foreign 
country  also  I  — 

Tout  est  "  0.  K." 
Je  suia  arrives 
Dans  ce  joli  pays, 
Avec  bonne  saiit^, 
Mais  bien  fatiguee. 


176  OVER   THE  BORDER. 

Adion.      "E.  K  C. 
(O  queho  atrocity  I 
Mais  je  n'ai  ni  grammaire 
Ni  dictionnaire  fran^ais.) 

**  Pleasantly  rose  next  morn  the  sun," 

and  thoiigli  we  are  up  and  out  betimes,  — 

"  Life  had  long  been  astir  in  the  village,  and  clamorous  labor 
Knocked  with  its  hundred  hands  at  the  golden  gate  of  the 

morning. 
Now  from  the  country  around,  from  the  farms  and  the 

neighboring  hamlets. 
Came  in  their  holiday  dresses  the  blithe  Acadian  peasants. 
Many  a  glad  good  morrow  and  jocund  laugh  from  the  young 

folk 
Made  the  bright  air  brighter,  as  up  from  the  numerous 

meadows. 
Group  after  group  appeared,  and  joined  or  passed  on  the 

highway. 
Long  ere  noon,  in  the  village  all  sounds  of  labor  were 

silenced. 
Thronged  were  the  streets  with  people ;  and  noisy  groups 

at  the  house-doors 
Sat  in  the  cheerful  sun,  and  rejoiced  and  gossiped  together. 
Every  house  was  an  inn,  where  all  were  welcomed  and 

feasted ; 
For  with  this  simple  people,  Avho  lived  like  brothers  to- 
gether, 
All  things  were  held  in  common,  and  what  one  had  was 

another's." 


CLARE.  177 

P^re  Basil  is  surprised  to  find  that  we  have 
not  come  especially  to  attend  the  festival,  of 
which  we  had  not  heard  until  our  arrival, 
though  he  evidently  thinks  the  fame  of  their 
elaborate  preparations  has  travelled  far  and 
wide.  While  we  are  waiting  for  the  vehi'^jles 
wliich  are  to  convey  us  to  the  railroad  station 
(a  long  drive  inland)  many  most  picturesqu ) 
groups  pass  the  door;  some  walking,  some 
riding  on  ox-carts,  and  all  carrying  flowers, 
pyramidal  and  gorgeously  omamenfed  cakes, 
or  curious  implements  for  games,  totally  un- 
known to  us  moderns  !  Our  host  has  a  pleasant 
greeting  for  all,  and  receives  cordial  reply,  and 
sometimes  merry  jest  and  repartee  from  the 
happy  revellers. 

Much  to  our  delight,  our  route  to  the  station 
passes  the  grounds  where  the  fete  is  held ;  and 
here  we  see  booths  of  boughs,  a  revolving 
swing  (which  they  call  a  "  galance  "),  fluttering 
flags,  and  gay  banners. 

MeiTy  groups  of  young  people  are  engaged 
in  games  or  dances,  while  the  elders  are  gos- 
siping, or  look  on  approvingly,  and  the  air  is 

12 


178  ovEii  tup:  doiider. 

filled  with  lively  music.  Can  it  bo  that  the 
melodies  which  wo  hear  are  the  famous  old 
ones,  "Tous  les  Bourgeois  do  Chartres"  and 
"Le  Carillon  do  Dunkerque"f  It  would 
hardly  surprise  us,  as  this  qiuiint  place  seems 
a  century  or  so  behind  the  times. 

Wo  wish  we  could  stop  for  an  hour  or  two 
to  Wt'itch  them ;  but  trains  wait  for  no  mau,  and 
we  must  return  to  Digby  and  there  take 
steamer  for  St.  John. 

That  short  passage  of  twelve  leagues  has 
been  our  bugbear  for  some  diys,  as  travellers 
whom  we  met  at  Annapolis  pictured  its  hor- 
rors so  vividly,  representing  its  atrocities  as 
exceeding  those  of  the  notorious  English 
Channel.  Yet  wo  glide  as  smoothly  through 
the  eddies  and  whirlpools  of  the  beautiful 
Gap  as  a  Soimd  steamer  passes  through  Hell 
Gate.  This  remarkable  passage-way  is  two 
miles  in  length ;  the  mountains  rise  on  either 
hand  to  the  height  of  five  hundred  and  sixty 
and  six  hundred  and  ten  feet,  the  tide  between 
rushing  at  the  rate  of  five  knots  an  hour.  We 
note   gray,    water-worn    rocks    at    the    sides, 


CLARE.  179 

reseniblinj^  pumice  in  appearance,  though  of 
course  very  mucli  harder  stone,  and  evidently 
of  simiLxr  formation  to  that  of  the  ovens  at  Mt. 
Desert.  And  now  we  sweep  quietly  out  into 
the  dreaded  }^ay  of  Fundy,  the  water  of  which 
rests  in  such  oily  quietude  as  even  Long*  Island 
Sound  rarely  shows.  On  this  hazy,  lazy,  sunny 
afternoon  not  a  swell  is  perceptible  (unless  some 
among  the  passengers  might  be  designated  by 
that  title) ;  and  after  four  and  a  half  hours  of 
most  dreamy  navigation,  we  enter  the  harbor 
of  St.  John,  where  the  many-tinted  signal 
lights  are  reflected  in  the  black  water,  and  a 
forest  fire  on  a  distant  hill  throws  a  lurid  light 
over  the  scene. 

When  the  tide  turns,  there  can  be  seen  fre- 
quently far  out  in  the  Bay  a  distinct  line  in 
the  water,  —  a  line  as  sharply  defined  as  that 
between  the  Arve  and  Rhone  at  their  junction 
near  Geneva.  It  is  when  wind  and  tide  are 
at  variance  that  the  roughest  water  is  encoun- 
tered; and  they  say  that  if  one  would  avoid 
an  unpleasant  game  of  pitch  and  toss,  the  pas- 
sage across  should  not  be  attempted  during  or 


180  OVER    THE  noHDER. 

ininicdiately  after  a  blow  from  the  northwest 
or  southeast.  So  make  a  note  of  that  I  Old 
salts  at  Annapolis  told  us  that  the  water  of  the 
Bay  **  gets  up  "  suddenly,  but  also  quiets  down 
soon,  and  that  after  a  windless  night  one  might 
be  reasonably  certain  of  a  comfortable  trip 
across. 

Having  supposed  that  St.  John  had  lost  half 
its  charm  and  quaintness  since  the  fire,  we  are 
surprised  to  find  so  much  of  interest  when  we 
are  out  at  the  **  top  of  the  morning"  next  day, 
and  are  reluctant  to  leave  ;  but  here  the  Octave 
disintegrates,  scatters  to  finish  the  season  else- 
where ;  and  each  member,  on  arrival  at  home, 
probably  invests  in  reams  of  paper  and  quarts 
of  ink,  setting  to  work  to  tell  his  friends  all 
about  it,  and  where  "  they  must  surely  go  next 
summer ! " 


«  T  » 


L'ISLE   DES   MONTS  DESERTS." 


"LISLE   DES   MONTS   DESERTS." 
(a  letter  by  the  way.) 

"Jlouutiful  Inleof  tho  Sort  I  " 

"When  wo  said,  "Lot  us  go  to  Mt.  Desert," 
Joo  give  us  Punch's  advico  on  marriage : 
"Don't I"  Sue  said,  ."It  has  lost  lialf  its 
charms  by  becoming  so  fashionable  ;  "  and  IFal 
added,  as  an  unanswerable  argunumt,  "You'll 
not  be  able  to  get  enough  to  eal."  As  to  his 
veracity  on  this  subject  wo  cannot  vouch,  though 
we  can  testify  to  his  voracity,  and  mischievously 
throw  a  quotation  at  him  :  — 

"  The  turnpike  to  men's  hearts,  I  find, 
Lio8  through  their  nioutlis,  or  I  mistake  mankind." 

Despite  such  discouragements,  being  natur- 
ally obstinate,  go  we  do ;  and  hero  we  are  in 
the  most  refreshingly  primitive  and  unfashion- 
able abiding  place,  the  domicile  commanding  a 
view  which  cannot  be  equalled  by  any  public 


184  OVER    THE  BORDER. 

house  on  the  island.  From  the  piazzas  and  our 
windows  the  eye  never  tires  of  gazing*  on  the 
beautiful  bay  with  its  numerous  islands,  —  a 
charming  picture,  with  the  blue  and  symmet- 
rical range  of  Gouldsboro'  hills  for  background. 
From  a  point  not  far  back  of  the  house,  the  eye 
ranges  from  the  head  of  Frenchman's  Bay  out 
to  the  broad  ocean  ;  while  a  retrospective  view 
takes  in  the  wild  mountainous  region  of  the 
interior  of  this  lovely  isle. 

We  arrive  at  a  fortunate  time.  For  a  long  while 
previous  Nature  had  persistently  enveloped  her 
face  in  a  veil,  giving  an  air  of  mystery  which 
the  summer  guests  did  not  appreciate.  The 
skipper  of  the  yacht  which  conveys  us  when 
we  circumnavigate  the  island  tells  us  "  there  is 
a  fog  factory  near  by,"  a  statement  which,  for 
a  few  days,  we  are  inclined  to  credit.  The 
nabobs  of  Newport,  the  Sybarites  of  Naliant, 
and  even  the  commonplace  lusticators  at  other 
shore  resorts  have  been  served  ;n  the  same  man- 
ner, however ;  so  we  sympathize  with  them  fully, 
and  with  them  exult  at  the  final  dissolution  of 
the  vapors,  as  the  gray  curtain  gradually  lifts 


'TISLE  DES  MONTS  DESERTS."  185 

and  rolls  away,  its  edge  all  jagged  as  if  torn 
by  the  lance-like  tips  of  fir  and  spruce  trees 
as  it  swept  over  them.  These  noble  hills  are 
densely  wooded,  but  not  with  the  forest  giants 
one  sees  among  the  White  Mountains ;  and  when 
I  express  my  surprise  thereat,  I  am  told  that 
fifty  or  sixty  years  ago  the  greater  paic  of  the 
island  was  denuded  by  fire,  so  that  remains  of 
the  primeval  forest  can  only  be  found  in  distant 
spots  not  easily  accessible.  Notices  are  iiow 
posted  in  the  woods  at  various  points,  by  which 
.  "  visitors  are  earnestly  requested  to  extinguish 
all  fires  which  they  may  light,  and  not  to  strip 
the  bark  from  the  birches." 

In  onr  inland  excursions  the  rugged  moun- 
tains, with  their  storm-scarred,  rocky  summits, 
wild  ravines,  and  forest-embedded  bases,  so 
constantly  suggest  the  grand  scenery  of  New 
Hampshire  that  we  can  hardly  realize  that  we 
are  anywhere  near  the  sea.  Tlien,  on  a  sudden 
turn  of  the  road,  a  broad  stretch  of  ocean  — 
blue,  sparkling,  and  sail-dotted,  framed  in 
graceful  birches,  feathery  larches,  and  dark 
pines  —  comes  upon  us  as  a  surprise. 


186  OVER    THE   BORDER. 

The  peculiar  veliicle  which  is  here  known  as 
a  "  buckboard ''  we  find  a  comfortable  convey- 
ance, with  a  motion  which  seems  a  combination 
of  see-saw  and  baby-jumper.  Tlie  "  body  "  is 
composed  of  four  long  boards  laid  side  by  side, 
8ui)ported  only  at  the  extreme  ends  where  they 
are  hung  over  the  axles.  The  seats  are  in  the 
middle.  They  are  neither  elegant  nor  gracf^ful, 
but  easy,  "  springy "  vehicles,  which,  having 
neither  sides  nor  top  covers,  give  unimpeded 
views,  and  are  excellent  for  sight-seeing,  though 
not  precisely  the  thing  for  rainy  weather. 

Canoing  is  a  favorite  amusement ;  and  in  the 
management  of  these  light  and  graceful  boats 
many  of  the  summer  guests  become  quite  ex- 
pert. The  motion  suggests  that  of  a  gondola. 
A  catamaran  scoots  about  the  harbor  among  the 
islands ;  tiny  steamers,  sailing  craft  of  all  kinds, 
are  seen ;  and  sometimes  United  States  training 
ships  sail  majestically  into  the  bay  and  drop 
anchor,  giving  a  finishing  touch  to  the  picture. 

Skippers  are  very  cautious,  and  frequently 
will  not  allow  their  canoes  or  other  boats  to  go 
out,  although  it  may  appear  perfectly  safe  to 


''LISLE  DBS  MONTS  DESERTS.'*  187 

the  uninitiated.  Visitors  rarely  have  any  idea 
what  sudden  "  flaws  "  and  gusts  of  air  are  caused 
by  the  position  of  and  openings  between  the 
mountains;  and  when  these,  as  well  as  the 
tidal  swell  and  currents  of  the  ocean  about 
the  shore,  have  to  be  studied,  navigation  be- 
comes scientific. 

The  arrival  of  the  steamer  is  the  great  event 
of  the  day ;  and  on  Sunday,  after  morning  ser- 
vice, the  butterflies  of  fashion  flit  to  the  pier 
to  see  the  landing  of  passengers.  It  is  rather 
embarrassing  for  weary  travellers  to  bo  obliged 
to  "run  the  gauntlet"  as  they  pass  through  the 
gay  throng,  for  every  one  stares  with  all  his 
might.  This  does  not  seem  to  bo  considered 
rude  here,  and  every  one  is  met  by  a  "battery 
of  eyes ;  "  I  presume  because  each  person  ex- 
pects, if  he  remain  here  through  the  season,  to 
meet  every  one  whom  ho  ever  knew. 

The  yachting  and  tennis  costumes  which  are 
worn  here  would  certainly  cause  many  of  the 
sober  residents  of  the  Quaker  City  to  open 
their  eyes  wide  v^^itli  horror,  —  if  they  were 
able  to  open  them,  and  were  not  blinded  by 


188  OVER   THE  BORDER. 

the  first  glance.  One  divinity,  in  scarlet  and 
white  striped  awning-cloth,  we  christen  the 
"  mint  stick."  And  such  hats !  —  each  so  placed 
upon  the  head  that,  however  huge,  it  is  utterly 
useless  as  a  shade  ;  but  as  effect  is  what  all  are 
striving  for,  any  other  consideration  is  of  no 
importance  whatever.  Such  attire  would  be 
hooted  at  in  some  places ;  and  we  wonder  that 
it  does  not  strike  old  settlers  breathless  with 
amazement  at  the  extravagances  and  follies  of 
"  these  city  folks."  Jim  quotes,  **  Any  color  so 
it's  red,"  when  surveying  a  brilliantly  attired 
company  at  this  place,  as  that  aggressive  hue  pre- 
vails. These  fantastic  costumes  are  frequently 
seen  in  the  mornings  on  the  shore,  where  the 
wearers  are  engaged  in  an  amusement  here 
known  as  "rocking."  This  consists  in  loung- 
ing on  the  rocks  with  interesting  youths,  who, 
arrayed  in  picturesque  yachting  or  tennis  suits, 
pose  artistically,  and,  beneath  the  shade  of 
scarlet  or  Japanese  umbrellas,  talk  of — the 
weather,  of  course.  Elsewhere  this  would  be 
known  as  flirting. 

We  do  not  approve  of  the  names  of  some  of 


''L'lSLE  DES  MONTS  DESERTS."  189 

the  public  houses,  and  wonder  tliat  they  could 
not  have  chosen  more  sugg-estive  titles.  The 
"  Hotel  des  Isles "  has  a  more  suitable  and 
appropriate  cognomen, — if  they  would  spell  it 
correctly,  which  they  invariably  do  not.  This 
name  is  borne  by  descendants  of  the  old  French 
settlers,  but  is  now,  sad  to  tell,  pronounced 
by  their  contemporaries  "  De  Sizzle."  We  call 
our  house  Pleasant  Haven,  or  Restful  Retreat, 
though  it  appears  under  a  different  title  in  the 
guide-book.  It  would  never  do  to  tell  what  its 
name  **  really  and  truly  "  is,  lest  you  should 
think  I  liave  been  engaged  to  "  puff"  it.  We 
have  delicious  bread  and  excellent  fare ;  and, 
though  this  is  plain,  of  course,  all  is  temptingly 
served,  and  everything  neat  and  nice  enough 
for  any  one. 

Our  rooms  are  extremely  plain,  but  neat. 
Closets  are  unknown  ;  but  on  hooks  along  the 
wall  on  one  side  of  the  apartment  we  hang 
our  garments,  protecting  them  with  chintz  cur- 
tains which  we  brought  for  the  purpose.  A 
resident  of  Fifth  Avenue  occupies  the  gaiTet- 
rooms  above,  having  selected  them  from  choice ; 


190  OVER   THE  BORDER. 

and,  expatiating  on  tlieir  advantages  in  quiet, 
air,  and  views,  becomes  an  Attic  Philosopher. 

Occasionally  we  get  out  our  fineries,  and  go 
to  some  "  hop"  or  entertainment  in  the  village, 
but  return  better  satisfied  with  our  present 
home  ;  and,  snapping  our  fingers  at  Mrs. 
Grundy,  do  not  envy  any  of  her  votaries.  If 
our  advice  were  asked,  we  should  say:  "  Come 
to  one  of  the  smaller  hostelries,  like  this,  where 
you  can  be  independent  and  comfortable ;  and 
bring  half-wom  winter  garments,  with  boots 
ditto,  to  be  prepared  for  tramping  and  excur- 
sions." 

The  excursions  which  can  be  taken  I  will  not 
enumerate ;  will  merely  state  that  the  ascent  of 
Green  Mountain,  in  clear  weather,  and  the  drive 
to  Great  Head  are  most  satisfactory.  On  our 
way  to  the  latter  point  we  stop  at  Anemone 
Cave,  where  we  enjoy  an  impromptu  concert 
by  members  of  Philadelphia  glee  clubs,  the 
fine  voices  and  beautiful  harmonies  being  en- 
hanced by  the  dark  arch  of  rock  and  the  cease- 
less music  of  the  surf,  which  forms  a  grand 
accompaniment. 


"VISLE  DES  MOISTS  DESERTS.'*  191 

» 

The  view  from  Green  Mountain  is  quite 
unique,  the  eye  traversing  ocoan  and  land  for 
forty  miles  in  any  direction ;  following  the  sin- 
gularly sefrated  coast  of  Maine,  the  course  of 
Somes  Sound,  —  that  remarkahle  inlet  from  the 
sea  which  almost  divides  the  island,  —  and  trac- 
ing the  waving  line  of  far  distant  mountain 
ranges.  The  mainland  is  curiously  cut  into 
long  rocky  points  and  ragged  peninsulas,  from 
which  the  islands  seem  to  have  broken  off  and 
drifted  out  to  sea.  From  this  height  (fifteen 
hundred  and  thirty-five  feet)  the  ocean  seems 
placid  and  smooth,  —  much  less  awe-inspiring 
than  from  the  shore,  where  the  surges  roll  in 
with  such  tremendous  power,  as  if  endeavoring 
to  crush  the  towering  cliffs  which  oppose  them. 
The  clustering  buildings  of  Bar  Harbor  appear 
like  a  child's  playthings,  or  Nuremberg  toys ; 
the  miniature  vessels  like  sea-gulls  just  alighted ; 
the  white  tents  of  the  Indian  encampment  ludi- 
crously suggest  a  laundry  with  big  **  wash  "  hung 
out  to  dry;  and  the  whole  scene  looks  as  if 
viewed  through  the  large  end  of  an  opera 
glass.     It  is  a  peaceful  and  beautiful  picture  for 


192  OVUIi   THE  liOltDER. 

• 

memory  to  treasure  und  look  back  upon  with 
dolig"ht. 

At  Fcrnald's  Point,  nt  tlio  base  of  Flying- 
Mountain,  two  miles  north  of  Southwest  Har- 
bor, is  the  supposed  location  of  the  French  set- 
tlement, which  was  founded  by  a  party  of  priests 
and  colonists  sent  out  from  Franco  to  Port  Royal 
(now  Annapolis,  Nova  Scotia),  wlio,  losing*  their 
way  in  fog,  landed  here.  The  peaceful  little  com- 
munity, after  only  a  few  weeks'  occupancy,  were 
routed  by  that  grasping  individual,  Argall,  the 
deputy-governor  of  Virginia,  who  was  detested 
by  his  own  colonists  for  his  tyranny  and  rapac- 
ity. That  person,  not  content  with  the  domains 
which  his  position  entitled  him  to  govern,  cruised 
along  the  Atlantic  coast,  making  many  such  in- 
cursions fimong  the  colonists.  In  this  case,  after 
destroying  the  buildings,  he  cruelly  set  adrift 
in  an  open  boat  fifteen  of  the  poor,  harmless 
people,  who,  after  suffering  great  hardships, 
were  picked  up  by  a  trading  vessel  and  con- 
veyed to  St.  Malo.  We  wonder  that  investiga- 
tions have  not  been  made  ere  this  at  this  spot, 
as  it  seems  probable  that  old  implements  and 


''VISLE  Dl'JS  MONTS  DESERTS."  198 

objects  of  intoiH^st  might  be  brouglit  to  light. 
How  wo  wish  wo  were  ineinbers  of  the  Muine 
Historical  Society,  tiiul  by  that  body  empow- 
ered to  superintend  excavati(Uis  at  the  site  of 
a  colony  which  was  in  existence  (lOl.'J)  seven 
years  before  tlie  landing  of  the  Pilgrims  ! 

Samuel  de  Champlain,  friend,  associate,  and 
pilot  of  De  Monts  in  the  latter's  investigations 
of  liis  posaessi(ms  in  Acadia  (in  1()04),  was 
sponsor  of  this  island  which  has  since  become 
so  famous,  of  which  he  speaks  as  "La  grande 
Isle  des  Monts  Deserts ;  "  and  by  the  early 
Lord  of  the  Realm  the  whole  of  Frenchman's 
Bay  was  also  called  La  Havre  du  Saint  Sau- 
veur.  That  wicked  Jim  savs  that  the  Indian 
name  of  the  island  must  suggest  itself  to  some 
travellers  Oii  their  way  here,  unless  they  come 
by  tlie  land  route. 

There  are  thirty-five  guests  in  our  house,  who 
form  a  pleasant  company ;  and  though  of  course 
there  is  gi-eat  diversity  of  taste  and  character 
shown  among  them,  they  form  a  harmonious  as- 
sembly. In  the  evenings  we  have  '*  sings,"  read- 
ings, games,  and  charades,  frequently  growing 

13 


104  OVEli    THE  IKHIDI-R. 

liiljirious.  Seduto  professorR,  clirpiifiod  divines, 
und  leurnod  writorH  enter  into  tlieso  Hportrt  >vith 
tlio  zest  of  selioolboyH  on  u  lioliduy.  Some  of 
tlicHo  f^junoH  nmy  be  new ;  und  that  otlierH  may 
(lerive  anuisenient  tor  .similar  occasionH,  I  will 
descrihti  two  of  them.  In  one,  calle<l  (^nnpari- 
Kon,  the  company  seat  tliemselves  in  a  circhi. 
Each  one  whiHpers  to  his  ri«i'ht-lmnd  neighbor 
the  name  of  .1  person  (known  to  the  company)  ; 
to  the  one  at  his  left,  the  name  of  an  object. 
Thcin  each  in  turn  jrives  aloud  the  name  which 
liis  neighbor  whispered  to  liim,  and  tells  why 
ho  or  she  resembles  the  object,  making  the 
comparison  complimentary  or  otherwise.  The 
uncompliine  .tary  comparisons  are  generally 
the  most  laughable,  and  of  course  all  under- 
stand that 't  is  '*  all  for  fun,"  so  no  one  takes 
any  offence.  For  instance  :  **  Mr.  J.  resembles 
the  harbor  bar,  or  did  this  morning,  because 
there  was  a  heavy  swell  rolling  over  him  ;  "  the 
company  understanding  this  as  an  allusion  to 
a  frolicsome  tussle  which  Mr.  J.  had  with  the 
beau  of  the  house.  A  rhyming  game  also 
affords  much  amusement.     One   person  gives 


''i:iSLE  DES  MONTS  DESEUTS.'*  lOr) 

hi«  nci^i'libor  ji  list  of  \v(^r(lM,  —  the  vvordx  end- 
n\*f  tli«  lines  of  a  Honnet  or  purt  of  a  jjooin,  — 
and  tlio  porHoii  ro('eivin<^  tlio  list  imi.st  fill  in 
the  lines,  brinjicin^jc  in  the  words  n^iven,  in  |)ro[)('r 
order,  at  the  ends  of  the  lines.  In  ♦h  follow- 
ing instance  tlui  words  italicized  are  the  ones 
which  the  player  received  from  his  nei^^hbor ; 
in  this  case  the  terminal  words  of  Lonofellow's 
beantiful  description  of  a  calm  ni^^ht  by  the  sea 
will  bo  recof^nized,  althon«rli  the  word  "  ocean" 
was  inadvertently  substituted  for  *'  organ  :  "  — 

"  All  the  long  wliitt)  beach  is  silent 
As  a  beach  shoultl  evor  he, 
Whilo  tlie  seii-gulls  staiitl  and  listen 
To  the  moaning  of  the  sm. 
All  the  solemn  oysters  (jather, 
Gazing  npward  to  the  sky. 
While  a  lobster  breaks  the  silence, 
Crooning  low  his  litany. 
Little  shrimps  in  their  dark  caverns^ 
Eating  supper  uU  alone. 
Looking  out  upon  the  ocean, 
Whispering  in  an  undertone : 

*  'T  ia  sad  and  lonely  by  these  beaches, 
Shall  we  never  go  beyond  f ' 

All  the  barnacles,  uprising, 

*  Never,'  tearfully  respond.''^ 


196  OVlCIi   THE  liOJllJEJi. 

As  we  are  by  tlie  hgr,  nautical  rliymes  seem 
to  turn  out  nutiu'ally.  'riio  writer  of  this  ro- 
niarkablo  eflusion  is  evidently  not  an  evolu- 
tionist, tliouj^h  he  may  think  there  are  some 
"  (picer  iish  "  among'  the  heterogeneous  inhabi- 
tants of  this  island. 

At  last  the  day  conies  when  we  nmst  turn 
away  from  these  lovely  scenes ;  and  it  is  with 
regret,  and  many  a  l)ackward  look,  that  we  are 
conveyed  to  the  llockland  boat.  ^J'hat  vessel 
pursues  a  circuitous  route  along  the  coast, 
among  the  picturesque  islands;  the  trip  sug- 
g(^sting  quite  forcil)ly  the  St.  J^awrence  with  its 
Thousand  lsh»s,  as  old  Ne[)tune  is  fortunately 
in  amiable  mood,  and  bhows  a  smiling  coun- 
tenance. So  wo  have  no  grudge  to  lay  up 
against  him,  and  only  pictures  tinged  with 
couleur-de-rose  to  carry  away  with  us. 


SEA-SIDE    AMUSExMENT    IN   THE    "  CITY    OF    SOLES." 


As  it  is  our  custom  to  come  to  these  New- 
England  shores  every  summer,  in  order,  as  Jim 
says,  to  get  salted  so  that  we  may  keep  well 


"UrSLE  DES  MONTS  DESERTS''  197 

tlirou<;li  tlio  winter  (by  wliicli  you  neod  not 
infor  tliat  wo  "  j»-(^t  into  a  piclvlo"),  wo  c.oni- 
Tnon('(i  tlui  proccHH  iit  this  pljico,  Ixst'oro  jmu^ood- 
in;^'  to  nior(5  Nortlu^rly  points. 

As  tlu;  "dry  spoil"  has  rn.'ido  tlio  roads  so 
dusty  that  there  is  little  ph^asuro  in  drivin*.'-, 
and  our  hors(iS  ar(i  at  imssent  in  the  stahh^s  of 
our  (Uiatmux-cn-KsiHKjnc,  and  oonsecpuiutly  not 
available  this  warm  ovoninj,'-,  wo  pitlua*  on  the 
porch  to  bo  entortained  by  tlio  learned  con- 
verse of  the  professors,  luitil  an  ap])roaehin^ 
storm  drives  us  in-doors.  Within  the  ''shoot- 
in*r-box,"  as  the  younj^  man  who  has  trav(dled 
christens  tlu^  house,  —  thinlvinj^  that  an  appro- 
priate title  for  a  domicile  where  so  many  niom- 
bors  of  th(i  Hunt  family  ani  collectcnl,  —  tluM-e 
is  a  motley  assenddy,  as  they  jrather  around 
the  sitting'-room  tabU^  'i'here  are  Portu- 
j^ueae,  Michij^anrlors,  Pennites,  Illinoisyones, 
Bangorillas,  and  otlu^r  spcic/nnens  of  natural 
history  such  j»s  would  have  ])uzzled  A<^assi/ 
liimself;  and  the  question  arises,  "  What  shall 
we  do  to  aimiso  ourselv(;s  this  rainy  (!venin«»'  P' 
lint  "  Pat,"  tlie  engineer,  oiler  of  the  domestic 


198  OVER   THE  liORlJER. 

niacliiiiery  of  tlio  GHtabliHlinjent,  and  koep(3r  of 
this  inoTiagorie,  80(3niH  overconio  witli  fatigue ; 
tlio  AHtroiionior  in  cclipHed  in  a  corner;  tlie  ]»ro- 
feHHorH  are  al)H<)rl)e(l  in  sinoH  and  co-HinoH ;  the 
Fis]i(;nnan  ikhIh  over  Ills  ])aj)er;  Gran(hna  knitH 
lier  hrowH  and  tlie  Hto(;kinj4';  Klsie  is  (hnip  in  a 
hook;  and  no  one  displays  any  special  inter- 
est in  the  matter  until  ])encils  and  paper  are 
distributed  for  the  game  of  (yrainl)o.  '^Fhe 
modus  operandi  of  tliat  most  wise  and  learned 
game  is  as  follows :  Four  slips  of  paper  are 
given  each  person,  on  one  oi  which  he  is  re- 
quested to  write  a  fpiestion,  and  on  each  of  the 
other  scraps  a  word.  These  are  then  shuffled, 
and  all  in  turn  draw.  And  now  there  is  great 
commotion,  for  each  participant  is  ex})ected  to 
answer  his  qucjstion  in  rhyme,  and  to  bring 
the  three  words  which  he  has  drawn,  into  his 
answer,  also.  Such  a  chorus  of  "Oh  dears," 
and  such  dismayed  faces  I  The  student  pro- 
I)Oses  to  j)rocure  the  coffee-mill  to  assist  him 
in  grinding  out  his  ''  [)ome  ;  "  the  tenniH-])layer 
wishes  she  had  a  hati'het  to  chop  up  a  long 
word  which  has  fallen  to  her  lot,  so  that  she 


*'VISLI':  DBS  MONTS  DliSB/tTS."  199 

can  put  it  in  proper  niotre ;  but  Mr.  Short 
((*  ft.  2  in.),  witli  watdi  in  liaiid,  emails  "  Tinio," 
and  tliou  "  Hilonce,"  an  pencils  race  over  papers 
as  if  on  a  wager.  Ten  minutes  is  tlie  brief 
space  allotted  for  the  i)roduction  of  the  won- 
drous effusions ;  and  when  Mr.  S.  aiuiounces, 
"Time's  up,"  the  hat  is  again  full;  and  one  says, 
with  a  sigh  of  relief,  "  There,  I  never  made 
two  lines  rhyme  in  my  life  before ; "  another 
modestly  remarks,  "You  needn't  think  wo  are 
verdant  because  we  are  in  Green  — "  but  the 
warning  finger  of  the  Philosopher  is  raised,  and 
Pat,  the  reader,  begins,  emphasizing  the  words 
drawn  as  he  reads:  — 

"  Why  80  mudi  qu.arn^lliiif^  about  Kolij^fiou'l 
It'H  118  pliiiu  iiH  strin;^  fifuns 
Tluit  i'roin  this  vory  lueana 
The  world  in  not  ri},'ht ; 
If  I  had  I)ut  chtai'  sight 
I  might  hope  ero  this  night 
Is  heginnitiff  U,  wano 
Th«  thing  to  uxphiin. 
lint,  lacking  the  wit, 
I  niUHt  e'en  submit 
This  doggerel  rhyme 
And  hope  't  is  in  time." 


200  OVER    THE  BORDER. 

"  Oh !  oh  !  "  exclaimed  the  "small  specimen  " 
(aged  ten),  "that's  Grandma's;  I  heard  her  say 
she  *  knows  beans,'  'cause  she  is  a  Yankee ; " 
but  the  S.  S.  subsides  on  hearing*  the  next 
paper  read,  and  shows  so  plainly  that  she 
"wishes  herself  further"  that  it  is  not  difficult 
to  guess  the  author :  — 

"  What 's  quicker  than  lightning  1 
A  Turkey  or  a  squirrel 
Can  *  cut '  like  a  km'/e 
But  I  never  saw  a  creature  rush 
Like  a  deer  in  all  my  life." 

"  Good  for  Ten-year-old  ! "  exclaim  the  chorus ; 
and  the  S.  S.,  brightening  up,  concludes  she  'Jl 
try  it  again  sometime.  Next  comes  the  ques- 
tion :  — 

"  Where  do  cabbages  come  from  1    . 
My  will  is  good,  and  I  propose 
To  tell  you  all  I  can. 
In  this  dry  time  a  garden  hose 
Must  come  into  the  plan. 
First  plant  the  seed,  and  in  due  course 
Will  little  shoots  appear, 
When  each  from  other  has  divorce 
They  '11  flourish,  it  is  clear. 


*^VISLE  DBS  MONTS  DESERTS.''  201 

If  this  rhyme  is  worth  preserving, 
With  mucikifje  it  may  be  fixed 
On  any  wall  deserving 
Such  wit  and  wisdom  mixed." 

As  it  is  well  known  that  the  natives  of  the 
Emerald  Isle  have  a  predilection  for  cabbages, 
it  is  unanimously  decided  that  none  but  Pat 
could  have  perpetrated  this ;  so  Pat  grins,  sug- 
gests that  a  bill  poster  be  secured  at  once,  and 
proceeds : — 

"  How  would  you  like  to  be  a  cat  1 
In  Timhuctoo  each  stern  ascetic, 
Though  blind  to  folly  as  a  bat. 
Revels  in  love  peripatetic 
Which  makes  him  nimble  as  a  cat. 
But  though  I  'm  fond  of  such  agility, 
I  better  like  the  busy  bees, 
For  they  display  so  much  ability 
They  'mind  one  of  the  Portupuese." 

At  this  implied  compliment  to  his  people,  the 
black  eyes  of  the  foreign  student  flash  ap- 
proval ;  and  the  Mathematician  speaks  up,  say- 
ing, **  That  is  the  Philosopher,  sure,  and  proves 
the  truth  of  tho  saying,  *  A  little  nonsense  now 
and  then  is  relished  by  the  wisest  men.' "     The 


202  OVER   THE  BORDER. 

Philosopher  smiles  benignantly,  but  does  not 
deny  the  charge ;  and  the  reader  continues :  — 

"  What  do  you  think  of  tho  Ornithorhynchus  1 
My  hrain  's  iu  a  '  muss ' 
From  thinking  of  this  *  cuss ' 
(Excuse  mo  for  using  such  a  word). 
If  it  lived  at  Nahant 
With  this  heat  it  would  pant, 
For  surely  't  is  a  curious  bird. 
You  may  think  me  a  '  muff,* 
And  declare  I  talk  stuff, 
But  I  hope  you  '11  not  doubt  my  word. 
For  though  out  in  all  weathers 
Its  coat 's  not  of  feathers 
But  of  fur ;  —  at  least  so  I  've  heard. 
But  *  bv  this  illuviination  * 
(Kant's  ratiocination  1) 
*  I  don't  see  it,'  though  it  may  seem  quite  absurd." 

TL.>  company,  strange  to  say,  liit  upon  Elsie 
for  this,  and  are  evidently  surprised  that  one  so 
given  up  to  pomps  and  vanities  should  display 
such  knowledge  of  natural  history;  but  they 
evidently  suspect  her  of  shining  by  reflected 
light,  as  she  sits  next  to  the  Philosopher ;  and 
I  heard  her  ask  him  a  question  about  this  ani- 
mal with  the  jaw-breaking  name.  By  this  time 
the  party  have   become   sj   brilliant,   having 


•'  UISLE  DES  MO  NTS  DESERTS."  203 

polished  each  otlier  up  as  by  diamond  cutters' 
wheels,  that  it  is  "  moved  and  seconded "  that 
we  "  try  again."  The  laughter  has  brought 
down  the  Chemist  from  the  laboratory,  the 
Fisherman  from  his  den ;  besides  rousing  the 
Astronomer,  who  scintillates  in  the  corner  to 
such  a  degree  that  all  others  expect  to  be 
totally  eclipsed.  This  time  the  Fisherman,  who 
is  also  an  amateur  gardener  and  farmer  on  a 
small  scale,  drawfj  an  appropriate  question,  in 
regard  to  which  he  enlightens  us  as  follows; 
and  what  he  says  must  be  true,  as  we  know  he 
has  had  experience  with  pigs  and  hens :  — 

"  Which  knows  most,  a  pig  or  a  hen  1 
'T  is  hard  to  tell  in  rustic  rhyme 
What  pigs  or  hens  may  know. 
A  cabbage-head  in  olden  time 
Sure  knew  enough  to  grow. 
If  Balm  and  corn  to  them  were  thrown 
By  parsimonious  Bill 
I  think  the  fact  would  then  be  shown, 
For  Piggy  'd  eat  his  lill." 

Next  comes  the  Chemist  with  the  question :  — 

"  Do  you  like  peanute  1 
Peanuts  are  double, 


204  OVER   THE  BORDER. 

And  80  is  "the  trouble 
Involved  in  ejfort 
To  answer  it. 
Hand  over  a  few, 
And  see  if  I  do 
Not  like  peanuts 
Better  than  iSanakrit." 

Any  one   who  had  heard  the  Chemist  warb- 
ling, — 

**  lie  who  hath  good  peanuts  and  gives  his  neighbor  none, 
He  sha'n't  have  any  of  ray  peanuts  when  his  peanuts  are 
gone," 

would  not  have  doubted  this. 

The  Philosopher  next   airs   his  learning  in 
the  following:  — 

"  What  do  you  admire  in  a  fool  ] 
Water  has  sucli  comhustibliity 
That  one  may  rightfully  admire 
The  happy  lack  of  wise  ability 
Which  never  rivers  sets  on  tire. 
Truth  needs  no  recapitulation 
To  make  what 's  simple  plainer  still. 
Folly  courts  our  admiration 
Wherever  Fashion  has  her  will." 

Part  of  this  is  so  abstinise  that  I  fear  the  com- 
pany do  not  fully  appreciate  it ;  so  the  next  is 


*'V1SLE  DES  MONTS  DESERTS.'*  205 

quite  startHnjT ;  and  after  hearing  it  we  learn 
the  cause  of  the  Astronomer's  silent  merriment 
in  tiie  corner,  and  rejoice  that  Dr.  Holmes's 
experience  in  "writing  as  funny  as  he  could" 
has  proved  a  warning  to  this  individual :  — 

"  Wluit  is  stronger  tljun  an  onion  ? 
Oh,  scissors  /  on  a  summer  night 
To  tax  a  fat  republican, 
In  thinking  out  with  all  liis  might 
Some  mightier  thing  than  on-i-on. 
Garlie,  mayhe's  not  strong  enough 
"Well,  I'll  exert  my  '  spunk ^ 
So  hero  you  have  it,  *  in  the  rough,'  — 
A  pole-cat,  alias  s — k." 

The  Oleaginous  Personage  comes  next  with 
the  question,  "Do  you  like  Crambo!"  which 
was  answered,  rather  ambiguously,  thus :  — 

"  If  our  last  lingo  was  a  specimen 
Of  this  most  wise  and  learned  game, 
'T  is  sure  that  thus  not  many  men 
Would  long  be  known  to  fame. 
Any  of  you  as  well  as  I 
"Would  knock  our  type  all  into  Pi, 
J{  ghost,  or  man,  or  printer's  devil 
Should  show  us  up  for  good  or  evil." 


206  OVER   THE  BORDER. 

Here  the  sedjito  and  dig-iiificMl  Klslo  pcivoH  lier 
opinion  of  a  sunnner  recreation  utter  tliis 
fasliion:  — 

"  Aro  you  foiul  of  fishing''? 
A  foolish  ivnmsoinont,  it  sooms  to  me, 
To  bo  rocking  about  on  tlH3  briny  si'ft 
Watching  for  bitos  'neath  a  broiling  «uu, 
(Mostiuitoes  will  giv«  you  'cm  when  day  is  done) 
For  my  part  I  M  rathor  be  loft  in  ^jcacg 
To  read  of  travels  in  sunny  Greece 
Varied  by  poeuj  on  *  l^leasures  of  Ifnjie  ;  * 
—  Whato'er  my  employment  I  shall  not  raopo  — 
But  it  proves  great  sport  for  cousin  BUI. 
(Mo 's  a  youth  just  starting  up  Life's  hill) 
But  should  he  as  old  as  I  becoiuo 
Ho  would  conclude  that  't  is  all  a  '  hum.'  " 

Where  a  person  generally  considered 
"proper"  became  familiar  with  slang-  I  can- 
not imagine,  but  I  make  no  remarks.  Owing 
to  the  absence  of  two  members  of  the  house- 
hold, who,  having  been  caught  out  in  tlie 
shower,  are  probably  calculating  the  specific 
gravity  of  rain-drops  and  their  effect  on  new 
straw  hats,  we  have  doubtless  been  deprived 
of  more  poems  of  surprising  depth  and  bril- 
liancy.    And,  from   regard  for  the   excessive 


"L'lSLE  DES  MONTS  DESERTS."  207 

modesty  of  other  participants  in  the  game,  I 
Hupi)re88  many  compositions  of  rare  merit 
wliich  wore  brouglit  out  this  stormy  evening". 
This  letter  is  merely*  to  ac(piaint  you  with 
an  important  fact,  which  is  as  follows.  As  Dr. 
Holmes  has  informed  you  with  regard  to  the 
*'  Asylum  for  Decayed  Punsters,"  be  it  known 
hereby  that  we  have  here  started  a  rival  insti- 
tution,—  a  school  for  poets;  so  when  you  wish 
to  secure  the  services  of  any  of  the  graduates, 
you  may  know  where  to  apply.  And ,  the 
reason  why  the  game  of  Crambo  is  like  night 
is,  because  it  is  quiet  in  the  middle  and  noisy 
at  both  ends. 


INDEX. 


INDEX. 


PAGE 

Ai!n}5;  Raynal  .     ,     .     .     .    .     372 

Aljht-  .S(''p)ij^iie 172 

Acadi/i,  (lerivution  of  name  .     .      12 
"        limits  of  region  known 

as 30 

"       ceded  to  England      .     .140 
Aeadians,  Imnishment  of      .     .     140 
''         exemjited  from  bear- 
ing arms   against 
France     ....     140 
"         modern  ....  1G2-I7;j 
"         relics  of.     .     .     .      CG-71 
Admiralty  House    ....  126,  127 

Advocate  Harbor ao 

Almsliouse,  Philadelphia,  old 

Friends' 38 

Amazon  Kiver,  tidal  wave  of    .      27 
Amusements  for  rainy  davs  194,  105, 

l'J8-20ti 

Anemone  Cave 1<J0 

Annapolis 61-110 

"         Apostle  Spoons  .      71-74 
"       anec- 
dotes of  and  quo- 
tations     referring 

to 74-70 

"        appearance  of  town     61,62 
"        api)le  crop   ....      93 
"        Argall's  inciirsi'in      50,  51 
"        Basin ,     .     .   105,  113,  166 
"        bells,  tradition  of .     ,      68  1 
"        block-house      ...      63  j 
"        cemetery      ....      76  ! 
"        church  .services     .     .      92  j 
"        climate    ....     82,  83  I 
"        fort,  historv  of      .      65-57 
"  "     at  present      .     61, 62 

''        people,       sunnner 

guests,  etc.    .     .     81,  82 
"        poem  of  1/20    .     .    99-102 


PAOE 

Annapolis  River,  currents  and 

tide  of 85 

"        romance,  a  bit  of  .      77-81 

"        window  gardening    .     J 03 

Argall's  incursions      .     .  50,  51,  192 

Argyle  Bay 174 

Baie  Francj-oise 17 

"    Fond  de  la 17 

"    Ste.  Marie 155 

Banishmeht  of  Aeadians  or  Neu- 

^  t"'s 140 

I.aptism  of  Indians  at  Annapolis  49 
Baptismal  customs,  ancient .  .  73 
Basin,  Annapolis     .     ,  105,  113,  166 

"      Minas 22,  29 

Basque  fishermen 107 

Bay,  Argyle 174 

Bay  of  Fundy  .  .  .15,  17,  19,  20 
'■  "  '■  passage  across  .  179 
"  "  "  tidal  line  in  water  179 
"    Shore  excursion    ....     104 

Beau-S(?jour 143 

Bell  metal 70 

"     "Carolus"  of  Antwerp      .      70 
"    founders  of  Belgium      .     .       70 

!'«'■« 68,  69 

iJlockhouse,  Annapolis  ...  62 
"  Winsilow,  Me.  .  6-1 
Blomidon,  minerals  of  .  .  .  30 
Blomidoii  Cape,  legend  of  .  .  31 
Hon  Temps,  I.'(,)rdre  de        .     45,  40 

15<ire 19-21 

Breton  fishermen 167 

Brook,  Frenchman's   ....       67 
"liuckboard" 186 


Cajeans  . 
Canoing    . 


148 
186 


212 


INDEX. 


PAQE 

Care  Breton  Island,  fortifica- 

tionH  of 141,  142 

Cape  Bloniidon 30 

''     Cliijrnecto aO 

"     Slmrp a4 

"     Split 35 

"     d'Or 30 

Cave,  Anemone 190 

Chaniplain,  Samuel  de  .  .  .  173 
Channel,  St.  George's  .  .  .  lOG 
Citadel,  Halifax      ....  127-131 

Clare I5;j-180 

"     characteristics  of  people  .     1G2 
"     church  service    ....     160 

"     convent 1G3 

"     costume 161,  162 

"     customs,  etc 173 

"     furniture,  jieculiar  house      162 

"     pronunciation    .     .     .  172,  173 

Cod  Banks,  Newfoundland  .     .     167 


D'AuLNAY 53 

De  Monts,  Pierre  du  Guast, 

Sieur  de     .     .     .      35-48 
"        Henry     IV.     grants 

title  to 36 

"        arrival  of  in  Acadia  40, 

174 
"  captures  Rossignol  .  41 
"  in  St.  Marv's  Bay  41,  155 
'*  returns  to  Vrance  .  .  45 
*'        returns  to  Port  Kuyal 

with  supplies    .     .      47 
**        reception  of,  bj'  colo- 
nists     47 

"  relinquishes  right  to 
Acadia,  returning  to 
France      ....      48 

De  Poutrincourt 48 

De  Itainezay 57 

De  Kazilly 53 

Desert,  Mt 183-195 

Deserts,  Monts,  I'lsle  des     .  183-195 

Digby 11.3-120 

•'      Gap    ....    105,  178,  179 
"        "     rock  formations  in      178, 

179 

"      herring 117 

"      Neck 106 

*'      restaurants,  odd  little    .     117 


PAfiK 

Dikes  of  I^.quille 94 

"       '•  Grand  Pr^     .     .     .     .     137 
Diivivier 56 

EAiilJE 21 

Karly  fishers  on  coasts  of  Nova 

Scotia  and  Newfoundland     .     107 
England,  treaty'  between  France 

and 53 

English  attacks  on  Port  Royal  65,  56 
Episode  of  De  Monts's  .sojourn 

in  St.  Mary's  Bay    .     .      160,  107 

Epitaphs,  peculiar  ....  70,  119 

Efjuille,  description  of      .     .     .      85 

"        significance  of  name     .      85 

"        tidal  effects  on     .     .     .       85 

Eucharistic     implements     and 

customs 73 

F>angeline,  a  modern,  166,  157,  160 
*'  different  represen- 

tations of  .     .    96,  97 
"Evangeline,"  quotations  from,  11, 
22,  37,  38,  60,  70, 
80,  91,  96,  97,  131, 
136,  137,  139,  140, 
141,  146,  148,  153, 
154,  160,  105,  170, 
171,  176 
"  what  led  to  the 

writing  of       ....       148,  149 

Farms,  modern  Acadian      .    .     108 

Feniald's  Point 192 

Festival,  village  .  .  .  177,  178 
Feud  of  De  Kazilly's  lieutenants  53 
Fishers  on  Nova"  Scotia  coast, 

ancient 107 

Fishing,   Annapolis    and    Dig- 
by   ^ ilG,  117 

Five  Islands 30 

Forest  fires 107,  108 

Fort,  Annapolis .     .     .    55,57,61,62 

"     BeauSejour 143 

"     Gaspereau 143 

"     Louisburg.     .  .       141,  142 

French  dominions 141 

"  dike  made  by  ....  137 
"  well  "  '■'....  137 
"  Neutrals  in  Philadelphia  39 
"  "        banishment  of      140 

"     settlement,  Mt.  Desert  .    192 


INDEX. 


213 


French  s  ;ttlement,  Mt.  Desert, 

dc'strtic  ion  of  .         .     .     .51, 
FiencIiinf.ir.M  Brook     .    . 
Friends'  Almshouse     .     , 
Fui\i!y,  ctvnioloffv  of  .    . 


tides  of 


PAOK 

192 
67 
38 
19 
20 


Games  ....  194,  195,  198-203 
Gap,  Digby    ....  105,  178,  179 

Gaspercau,  Fort U3 

^,     "  valley 138 

Gheyn,  van  dcu  (l)cll  founder)  70 
Gibraltar  of  America  .  ...  142 
Glooseap,  Indian  giant    ...       31 

Grand  I'rf- 135-150 

"       "    coflin 135 

•      ;;       "    dike 137 

"     house,  priest's,   site 

of 130 

'■        •     smithy,  site  of    .     .     130 

"       "     well 137 

Grant  c'  Acadia 51 

"     "  Virginia 51 

Granville  ferry 8(»,  87 

"        I>ower  (old  cannon)  .     100 

Great  Head 100 

Green  Jlountuin     ....  r,)0,  191 

Guast,  I'icrrc  du 3(j 

Guerclieville,  Mnie.  de    .     .     .      49 


Halifax 123- 

"        Adniinlty  House     126, 

"         Ann,  North  West  .     . 

"        books,  interesting  .     . 

"        churches 

"        citadel       .     .     .     .127- 

"        en  route  to    ...     . 

"        gardens     

"        Harbor 

"        Parliament  Building  . 

"  Point  Pleasant  .  .  . 
Harbor,  Advocate 

"       Halifax 

Havre  du  Saint  Sauveur  .  . 
Hemonv  (bell  founder  of  Bel- 

,  ghun)     

Henry  IV.  of  France  .... 
Historiial  references,  Port  Roy- 
al and  Annapolis     .    .    .  '  40 


■131 
127 
131 
126 
126 
131 
123 
126 
130 
125 
130 
30 
130 
193 


70 
36 

'-57 


PAnr, 
Hooghly  River,  tidal  wave  of  .  20 
Hospitality,  71,  86,  87,  104, 106,  124, 

170 


Incursions  of  Argall  .    .    . 
Indian  baptism,  Annapolis   . 

"      giant,  legend  of    .    . 

"       settlement  on  £quille 
Island,  Long 

"      Partridge      •     .     .     . 
Islands,  Five 


50,  51 
49 
31 
108 
1U6 
30 
30 


Jesuits  sent  to  Port  Roval  .     .  49 
"      found  colonv  at  \lt.  De- 
sert       49 

Joggin,  the ]  ig 

Jotun 21 


King's  decree  announced  to 
Neutrals    ....     i;j(j,  137^  140 

Kings  and  nobles  patrons  of  bell 
founders 70 


La  Havre  du  Saint  Sauveur    193 

Lake  La  Rose ]06 

Lake  Rossignol 41 

Laloutre 53 

La  Rochelle 147 

•-«  'lour 5;j_55 

Latten  ware 75 

Le  Borgne 55 

Legend  of  Blomidon    ....       31 

"      "  owls  and  loons    .     .       33 

Lescarbot 47 

Limits  of  Acadia 50 

"        Virginia 51 

L'Isle  des  Monts  Deserts       .  183-195 

Logging-camp  life 115 

Lon^  Island IGO 

l^ons,  Indian  legend  of  .  .  .  33 
L'Ordre  de  Bon  Temps  .  .  45,  46 
Louisburg J41,  142 


Mackenzie  road 106 

Mackerouse 173 


214 


INDEX. 


PAOE 

Mary's  Bay,  St 155 

Membertoti 110 

Minus  Basin 22-29 

Moiutoii,  Bore  at    ...  .       21 

Moiicton,  (teneral \M 

Mollis,  De 30-48 

Mollis  Deserts,  I'lsle  dea      .  18;j-l!»5 

Mt.  Desert 18:{-I95 

Mountain,  Green  ....  190,  191 

Nkuth.vls,  French,  in  Philadel- 
phia    3-J 

"      in    Massachusetts   and 

Louisiana    .     .       147,  148 

"      history  of 140 

Ncwromid'aiid  Cod  Banks    .     .  167 

Nmiihcr  (if  Aea^lians  'laiiished  .  1.50 

Norman  fishers 107 

North      West     Anil,     Halifax 

Harbor 131 

Oath  of  Kiii^  Gcorpe      .     .     .    140 

Oeiiir    . 21 

Odin 21 

Old  cannon  of  Lower  (iranville  100 
''  cenietcrv,  Annapolis  ...  70 
"  French  dike,  Grand  Pre  .  137 
"       "       well       "  "         .     137 

"       "      song 157 

"  poem 99-102 

"  soldiers'  tales     ....     64,  05 

Or,  Cape  d' 30 

Ordre  ile   Mini  Tenijis  ...     45,  40 
0\vls,  Indian   belief  about  crv 

of ■.      33 

Ox-yokes,  peculiar      ....     108 


PaIIKER'S  MolTNTAIN        .      .      .  100 

Parliament  Building.  Halifax  .  125 

I'assage,  til  and 105 

"     Petit 105 

Phipps,  Sir  Win 55 

Pisiipiid  (WindMir)      ....  144 

I'oint  Pkasant,  Halifax  .     .     .  130 

Poitou 147 

Port  Koyal 45-50 

Portuguese  fishermen  ....  107 

Poutiincourt,  De 48 


PAGE 

Priest,  Indian's  trick  on  .    .    .  50 

Primitive  railroad 24 

Prince  Kdward  Island      .    .     .  143 

Reoei'TIon  of  De  Monts  by  col- 

onists    .     .  „ 47 

Records  of   Acadians  (in   Bos- 
ton)    147 

Relics,  Annapolis    ....      60-71 

Uirie  Brigade,  Annapolis      .     .  57 

"Rocking" 188 

Rossignol 41 

Royal,  I'ort 45-50 

Sachamextal  customs  ...  73 

Saintonge 147- 

Scandinavian  mythology      .     .  21 

Segoigiie 172 

Sejour,  Bean,  Fort 143 

Service,  church,  at  coast  settle- 
ment        102 

Settlers  of  Minas  Basin    .     .     .  145 

Shaks])eare,  anecdote  of  .     .     .  74 

Shar|i,  Cape 34 

Siege  of  Louisburg       ....  143 

Sieiir  de  Monts 3'J-48 

Song,  old  French 157 

Sound,  Somes 191 

Split,  (,'ape 34 

State  ill  Schuylkill  Club  .     .     .  110 

St.  George's  Channel  ....  100 

St.  John 179,  180 

"  St.  John,  1047."  part  of  Whit- 
tier's  jioem 54 

St.  John's  Island 148 

St.  Mary's  Bay 154 

"      "         "  ancient  vo3'agers 

in 107 

"      "         "  species  of  fish  in  108 

Styx 34 

Subercase 55 

Taking  life  easily      .     .    .102.103' 

Teintang  River 20 

Tides  of  Fundv 20 

To  tenifit  the  taste  ....    88,  89 
Tradition  of  church  bells,  An- 
napolis    69 


INDEX. 


216 


Troubloa    Ipndinp;    to    banish- 
iiiLiit  of  Ac'udiaiis     .     .     .     . 


PAOK 


140 


Unihas,  Great  Lake  of    .     .     .  32 

Uiiitfd  Status  iiiDiii-y  .     .     ,     ,  <)l 

Utreclit,  tifutj'  of 140 

ViCTdKiA  Bridge Hc 

Village    festival,   coast    settle- 

.,""','"      • 137,138 

V  illebon,  De 55 


PAOB 


Vovapes,  ancient,    St.  Marv's 
""y,  etc '    .     167 


AVakk,  latten  .  .  .  . 
Wliittier,  {)art  of  |]oem  . 
Wiudiiiills,  peculiar  .  . 
Windsor,  desolation  near 
"        former  name    . 

Wiiislow,  Me 

Wishing  rock     .     .     ,     . 


76 

r.4 

109 
(i.'l 


Yarmouth 173,  174 


University  Press  :  John  Wilson  &  Son,  Cambridge. 


